My baby left me, oh no, oh yeah!
by MiMiMargot
Summary: "Margot Duval had taken his soul, he knew. It was weird and it was unexpected, but it was also an undeniable fact." This story about Agent John Myers' messy love life, is mainly written because the unbearable hotness of Rupert Evans. So, yeah. But Hellboy get's to be in this fic too, as does Abe, for what would BPRD be without them?
1. Part I: Prologue

**This story is of special meaning to me: It was the first real story I ever wrote, and thus was the one to begin my fanfic "career".**

 **I wrote it back on 2004, after the release of the first Hellboy movie. It was written in a summer heat of Brussels, when I was still young and had all the time of the world to write. Now I'm fixing it a bit, and posting it here, for your entertainment.**

 **We have this saying in Finland, that something is 'as long as a year of hunger', and this story most definitely is that! Hope you don't mind.**

 **If you liked it, please leave a review - they mean the world to me.**

* * *

 **Part I: Bored to death**

 **Chapter: Prologue**

"Bored!" Margot threw a tennis ball to the opposite wall, and catched it as it bounced back. "Bored, bored, bored, booooored…!"

The ball bounced back and forth between the young woman's hand and the wall, with an accelerating speed, until she finally, frustrated, catched it and stuffed it into a desk drawer with a loud bang. Instead she dug her cellphone from the pocket of her jeans, and checked the screen for new emails or messages, but nothing had changed since the last time she had checked it (which was precisely two minutes and 30 seconds ago.)

"Still bored." She sighed, and rolled her eyes, lifting her feet to the table. "Is it too much to ask to have a nice little vampire attack, or a bunch of werewolves, or-"

But suddenly her thinking-out-loud was interrupted by a thought she caught from a few rooms apart. She span to her feet, and was at the door in seconds. Her slender, tall legs carried her to the other office in a few heartbeats, and she didn't even bother to knock before opening the door, and sticking her head inside.

"You got a job for me, Dad?" she inquired (in german), grinning hopefully.

"In the matter of fact I do, Margerie." the older man answered, looking up from his computer. He had the looks of an older intellectual: grey hair, a somewhat shabby suit and old fashioned glasses, but the look in his eyes was sharp and caring. "Come in, and I'll show you."

"Vampires?" Margot asked cheerfully, stepping in and closing the door. "Please let it be vampires. It's been ages since we've had-"

"You know how I feel about that lot." the older man, Dr. Heinemann, answered raising an eyebrow. "The less we hear about them, the better."

Margot sighed melodramatically, and fell to a chair beside his father. She searched for her pockets for something to fidget around in her restless fingers, but found nothing, so instead she grabbed a pen from the table and began to play with that.

"Ah, fine." she replied, and looked up to her (adoptive) father. "So, tell me what the job is?"

"I received an email from B.P.R.D last night." Dr. Heinemann began, still speaking german which was his mother tongue. "I thought you might be interested."

Margot raised an eyebrow. "Is it Kat? I haven't heard from her in ages. Apparently she met this guy - he's called 'Hellboy', can you imagine? And they are sooooo in love, that she has no time to reply my messages anymore."

Dr. Heinemann turned his gaze from the computer screen to his daughter. "Hellboy, you say?"

"Uhhuh." Margot nodded. "Must be some kind of a nickname though. I mean, who would name their kid 'Hellboy', really. He's a cartoon character for God's sake."

"Well, you'll get a chance to ask that in no time, it would seem."

"So it's Kat?" Margot sounded surprised. She put down the pen she had been playing with. "She's coming here?"

"No, I'm afraid not. B.P.R.D. is sending a few agents here for a case, and they need to be picked up from the airport in a few hours. They say that the ones arriving are 'Hellboy' and agent Myers."

Margot stared at her dad for a few seconds. "You want me to pick them up from the airport."

"If you would, daughter mine."

"Boring!" Margot exclaimed. "Why can't they take a cab?"

"I don't know, there is something they aren't telling me… But they asked for the transfer to be 'incognito'."

"Incognito?" Margot stated. "Really?"

Dr. Heinemann nodded. "Will you take the job?"

"Aren't there any werewolves to be taken care of? Or a tooth farie attack? Or an Iku-Turso at loose…?"

"No." The older man replied flatly. "But you can take the limo."

"Ooo, neat!" Margot jumped to her feet, rubbing her hands together, excited as a kid. "And a driver too?"

"Naturally." Dr. Heinemann replied, and wasn't quite successful at hiding his smile.

"Great!" Margot said, grinning. "Thanks Dad!"

"You're welcome." the older man replied, but Margot was already gone, the door closed behind her.


	2. Part I: Dating advice

**Part I: Bored to Death**

 **Chapter: Dating advice**

* * *

 _Damn, she's pretty!_

That was Myers' first thought, when he laid his eyes on their host.

 _But she's not at all my type. And why on Earth am I even thinking about this?_

But he couldn't help but to notice her looks. She was perhaps a bit younger than he was, in her mid twenties, he reckoned, and her frame was slender and strong, like someone's who does a lot of sports. Myers wasn't the tallest of guys: he was no more than 5 feet 8 inches, but this girl was considerably shorter than he was. Her skin was fair, and her hair a huge cloud of flaming red curls. A flock of freckles was scattered on her pretty nose and cheeks, making her look undisciplined and somewhat childish. She was wearing a pair of close fitting black jeans, a grey T-shirt (with a print "Normal people frighten me") and Converses, which made Myers suddenly feel overdressed in his typical black suit and a white shirt, even if they were wrinkled after the long flight.

The woman (or rather a girl?) was leaning casually on a big, black limo, and as Myers walked closer to her, she looked up and met his eyes with a curious look, raising an eyebrow.

"Agent Myers?" she asked, and stepped to greet him, offering her hand.

Her grip was strong and firm - but he noticed that she was wearing gloves. The gloves were of thin, white linen, and they reached all the way up to her elbows.

 _Who wears gloves on a steaming hot August afternoon - and with that outfit?_ The thought flashed his mind. _That's_ _curious_.

"I'm Margerie Duval." The girl said, with a slight french accent. "But you can call me Margot, that's what everyone does."

"John Myers." Myers noted. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise." she said, and a smile sparked in her pretty, green eyes. "And that's your companion, Hellboy?"

Myers turned to look, as the tall, red skinned demon descended the stairs from the plane, and began to walk towards them, wearing his usual outfit: a black T-shirt and leather pants, carrying a backpack on his shoulder.

"Yeah, that's him." Myers nodded, and raised his hand to greet his friend.

"Wicked!" Margot grinned. "And I thought this day was going to be dull."

Myers turned to face the girl again, and couldn't help but to answer her smile. There was _something_ in her besides her looks, that caught his attention, but he didn't quite know what it was. Maybe It was the way she looked at him - her eyes full of things, that made Myers feel uneasy.

As if she'd see right through him.

But she wasn't looking at him anymore, but at his best friend, and companion.

"Hellboy, I presume?" she said, and a wide smile lightened her face.

"Yup." the tall demon grunted. "And you are?"

"Margot Duval." she replied. "And boy, have I heard a lot about you!"

"Huh?" Hellboy seemed surprised. "From whom?"

"Does the name Kat Wagner ring a bell?" she asked, looking from Myers to Hellboy and back.

"Oh." Hellboy replied, and Myers had a feeling that he would've blushed hadn't his skin been red already.

"Oh yes." Margot laughed. "Kat happens to be my best friend, and you are practically all she's talked about these past months - except that she forgot to mention that you are, well you know-" she shrugged. "A demon."

"Maybe she just didn't think that was important." Hellboy replied calmly.

"Sounds like Kat." Margot smiled. "But hey, we have this pretty neat limo just for us, so perhaps we should get going. I bet my Dad is already wondering what the Hell - pardon me - is taking us so long. Your flight was late."

Myers followed Margot into the air-conditioned limo with a sigh of relief - it had been too hot outside, and he was a wreck after the long flight. He sat on a leather covered bench opposite to Margot, and Hellboy, who followed them, took a whole bench for himself. The car creaked as the huge demon sat down, but Margot didn't seem to mind.

"So, your Dad?" Myers asked, as the car took off.

Margot laughed again - she seemed to do that often, and there was something super contagious in her laughter. "Dr. Heinemann, my boss, and my Dad. The leader of Europol's paranormal unit. I take it you have heard from him?"

Myers nodded. "Sure. It's actually him I need to meet. We've had some really troubling reports from eastern Europe lately-"

"Monsters?" Margot seemed instantly interested. "Good! This summer has been the worst, and Dad's not assigning me on any proper missions. I'm just _dying_ for a good fight."

"Yeah?" Myers raised an eyebrow. "Well, there might be more than you're asking for. But I probably shouldn't talk about it before we've had a proper debriefing with Dr. Heinemann."

"As you wish. I've booked a meeting for tomorrow morning, 9 am. That ok by you?" Margot replied, and as Myers nodded, she leaned back on her seat, seemingly relaxed. But the look on her pretty face was quizzical, as if she knew something he didn't.

Again her presence made Myers feel nervous - but was it good nervous, or bad nervous, he couldn't say.

"Refreshments?" Margot asked then, suddenly changing the subject, and opened a small cooler. "You must be tired after the fligh."

"A coke would be fine, thanks." Myers answered, took the offered can - and suddenly the strangest feeling flushed over him, as their hands almost touched. It was like there was something in the air, surrounding Margot - like a cloud of electricity, and Myers felt the skin on his arms going on goosebumps.

Confused, he froze for a moment, and something flashed in Margot's eyes, something sinister and alien. Like a dark shadow over a green forest lake.

But the moment was gone in a heartbeat. Myers took the coke, and Margot shifted, turned around to look at Hellboy as if nothing had happened. "Something for you, um, Hellboy?"

"Any friend of Kat's is my friend - just call me Red." the demon replied. "You have beer?"

"Hey, this is Belgium - of course I have beer." Margot grinned, and took a large bottle from the cooler.

"Thanks." Hellboy replied. "I'm starting to like the place."

"Brussels - a great combination of awful weather, and horrible traffic - what's there _not_ to like." Margot laughed at her own remark, and picked a Coke Zero for herself. She opened the can with a hiss, and raised it.

"Cheers!" She winked at Myers. "To a fun summer weekend - full of scary things we might have to kill. God, I hope it's vampires."

Myers answered her smile, and took a sip of his beverage.

"I really can not say. But cheers, to a successful mission."

He turned to look out of the window. The sun was setting, and the sky was painted with all shades of gold and orange. Even if it was rather late already (the traffic was indeed horrible, and it took a long time to reach the city centre), the weather was still very warm and a lot of people were out enjoying the beautiful evening. They passed old medieval churches, modern office buildings made of glass and steel, busy market squares that sold everything from flowers to antiques, parks with fountains and statues, cafeterias, bars and restaurants, their patios full of happy people. A couple of tourists wearing 'I love Brussels' T-shirts almost got bumped by the limo, as they wandered across the street staring at their map.

"First time in Brussels?" Margot's voice interrupted Myers' jet lagged thoughts.

"Yeah." He gave her a small smile. "Is it that obvious?"

"You have the face of someone who likes what he sees." Margot shrugged. "And that's not usually the case with those who come here frequently for work."

Myers couldn't help but to laugh. "Why would you say so?"

"Don't take me wrong - I love it here. This is a great place to live, but it can be a bit of a struggle if you don't know the city well, and you're in a hurry. Brussels can get a bit confusing sometimes."

He looked out of the window again, the small streets full of cars and people, subway stations and bus stops. Confusing? Yeah, perhaps, but even more so was Margot's presence. Myers still had the odd tingling feeling, whenever he looked at her direction.

Like there was a thunderstorm approaching.

"So, what about you?" he asked, to get something else to think about. "Are you from here originally?"

"Born and raised in Brussels." she answered, and shrugged her slender shoulders. "Lived here almost all my life. I can give you a tour tomorrow, if you wish."

"That sounds nice." he replied. "But work first."

"Monsters to kill, world to save..." Margot winked at him. "Looking forward to it."

 _As am I_. he thought. _As am I._

* * *

It was late already, when they reached their destination.

On a quiet, small alley, the car suddenly stopped and a door opened in an old looking brick wall, covered partly by ivy. Myers observed silently, as Margot got up, spoke a few sentences in french to a entry monitor, and flashed her ID card on it.

He didn't mean to notice, how nice her slender legs looked as she stepped out of the car, or how appealingly the oversized T-shirt clung to her hips, but he really couldn't help it. The sight made him think of things that weren't very businesslike.

"Everything alright?" Margot asked, when stepping back into the car.

Myers cleared his throat. "Yeah, fine. I was just wandering, uhm-"

"So, they keep the freaks underground here too?" interrupted Hellboy, and for once Myers was thankful.

"Don't they everywhere?" Margot asked.

"So it would seem." Myers noted, as the car began to drive down the tunnel that had opened on the wall. "Are we going deep?"

"Deep enough." Margot said, and now there wasn't any trace of laughter in her voice. "Your rooms will be on the 8th floor. But now, excuse me, I'll have to make a few calls."

"Yeah, sure." Myers replied, and watched as Margot dug her cell from her pocket, and dialed. Soon enough she began to speak rapid french on the phone, fidgeting the chain of her ID card with her other hand. She had pretty hands, her wrists thin and slender - but why on Earth the gloves?

 _Perhaps it's some European thing. What do I know_? He tried to shake off the thought, but it kept nagging him nevertheless. As did the fact that she was speaking a language he didn't understand.

Myers wasn't used to feeling stupid - he had always been a straight A student, getting the best grades in every subject - and still he had managed to pass through all the years of studying without learning nothing but English. And a few demonic dialects, that Abe and Kat had thought him lately, but he strongly suspected they didn't really count.

The purpose of the phone calls came obvious, as they reached their rooms some 20 minutes later.

"This is yours, Red." Margot stated, with a not so humble smile. She pushed the door open, and they stepped in.

The room was considerably larger than a normal hotel room, and it's twin bed was large enough for Hellboy. But that wasn't all - there was a huge pile of pizza boxes, a twelve pack of beer, a big TV screen, and even a weight lifting bench.

"Nice!" Hellboy stated, threw his bag on the floor, and opened the first box of pizza. A greasy smell of cheese and pepperoni filled the room. "But how did you-?"

"-know that you liked pizza?" Margot raised an eyebrow. "Call it a hunch. But hey, I hope this room is fine by you. If there is anything you need, just call me. Even if it's just a need for more pizza." She bent down to write her phone number on a post it, and taped it on the desk near the phone.

"An underground dungeon, with pizza and TV - feels like home." Hellboy said, and sat down on the bed, reaching for his second pizza slice - and for the remote control. The bluish light of the TV screen soon filled the room.

"Cool." Margot grinned. "Good night then."

"Yeah, thanks! And see you tomorrow." Hellboy said, and Margot turned to leave - followed by Myers.

"Hey Myers, wait a sec!" Hellboy's voice made him turn around.

"Yes?" he asked. Margot stepped to the hallway already, leaving him behind.

Hellboy was chuckling, and winked at Myers on a conspirative way.

"She likes you, boy scout." he noted, and punched Myers 'lightly' with his stone hand.

"Ouch!" Myers managed not to fall down. "Would you please stop doing that, Red?!"

"Doing what?" the huge demon seemed completely innocent.

"Nothing." Myers muttered, still rubbing the spot where he'd been hit. "And that's absurd - how could you possibly know if she likes me?"

Hellboy shrugged. "Call it a hunch. Now go and get her, kiddo."

"I-"

But just then the door opened, and Margot sticked her head in.

"Agent Myers?" she inquired. "You coming?"

"Yes, of course, I'm sorry…" he hurried to the door, his cheeks burning.

"Just remember what I said, Myers!" Hellboy smirked.

 _Yeah, right. Am I taking dating advice from Hellboy now?_ Myers rolled his eyes. But then again, Hellboy was the one who actually _had_ a girlfriend.

If that wasn't a depressing thought, Myers sure didn't know what was.


	3. Part I: I do what I want

**Part I: Bored to Death**

 **Chapter: I do what I want**

* * *

"I bet it's Iku-Turso." Margot grinned, hopping impatiently on her feet. "God, I've wanted to see that creature since forever!"

"For the 100th time, Margerie: It's _**not**_ Iku-Turso." Dr. Heinemann, who was sitting by the table, replied on a very dry tone.

It was the next day, and in the small meeting room on the -12th floor, Dr. Heinemann, her daughter and two other agents were waiting for their American colleagues.

But waiting was something Margot didn't handle very well.

"Oh come on Dad, why not?"

"Because it bloody well doesn't exist!"

"Hey!" Margot protested. "That's what you said about Hellboy too, and look at us now!"

She poured a huge mug of coffee for herself, and added a generous amount of milk and brown sugar in it.

It was on that exact moment, that Myers and Hellboy stepped into the meeting room - Myers carrying his laptop and a huge pile of papers, Hellboy smoking a cigar (clearly not caring about the 'no smoking' signs on the hallway).

"Aha!" Margot pointed at Hellboy. "A living proof!"

"A proof of what?" Hellboy raised an eyebrow.

"That I'm always right."

"Figures." Dr. Heinemann muttered, but got up to greet the newcomers. "Agent Myers, Hellboy - you have apparently already met my daughter, Agent Duval. I am Dr. Stefan Heinemann, welcome on my behalf as well."

They shook hands, and took seats around the table - all but Margot, who was still impatiently shifting her weight from foot to foot, holding her huge coffee mug on her gloved hands.

"Margerie, would you please calm down, and take a seat?" Dr. Heinemann asked, as Myers was plugging his laptop into the beamer.

"Hey, I'm excited!" Margot exclaimed, and gave Myers a shining grin. "What's wrong with that?"

"Huh." Hellboy chuckled. "It's good that someone's excited."

It didn't take that long for Myers to explain the situation. The reports they'd had from their intel in Eastern Europe, that made them suspect there was something fishy going on in The Czech Republic. It was the usual: missing people, bodies found half eaten, dark omens and stuff. But the bottom line was, there was something going on, and it was to be taken care of.

After Myers had finished his little power point demonstration, he took a look at Dr. Heinemann's stern, worried face. It was clear, Heinemann shared his concern.

"We've had some reports from that area lately too." Heinemann finally said, after a rather long silence. "We've been waiting for more information from our Czech department, but perhaps it's time that we go in."

"Good." said Myers. "That's what I was hoping. Me and Red will of course be going, but would you mind gathering a team for us?"

It was then, that Margot who had been uncharacteristically silent during this whole conversation, spoke up.

"I want to go."

Myers's heart took a leap, as he heard Margot's words, but Dr. Heinemann gave his daughter a stern look. His voice was rock hard, when he replied.

"No, absolutely not."

"Oh come on, Dad!" Margot exclaimed, clearly annoyed. "I'm bored to death in here!"

"No is a no, daughter. You are not ready."

"That's a load of crap! You can't keep me locked up in here forever. I am your best agent - just ask anyone, and they'll say it's true!"

"It's true." said one of the other Agents, Erik Thomasson, and shrugged. "I'm sorry, boss, but it is. She's by far the best shot and all her test scores are excellent."

"So?" Margot raised an eyebrow. "I promise I'll behave."

"It's not your behaviour I worry about, Margerie. It's the other thing. After what happened the last time-"

"That's not fair! It was six months ago, and it's not happening again."

Dr. Heinemann looked sad and tired. He shook his head, and gave a long sigh before answering: "Don't make promises you can't keep."

"Dad really, I am ready. I have learnt to control it."

"Again, that's not what I worry about. You _know_ what got you in trouble the last time."

Margot sighed and rolled her eyes. "And how am I ever going to learn how to use my thing, if you never let me try?"

"What are you talking about?" Myers finally interrupted the verbal duel. "What is this… thing you mentioned?"

Heinemann gave him a look. "I'm sorry Agent Myers, but this is family business."

"Nonesense." Margot stated firmly. "He has a right to know. If I'm going to go to Prague with him on this mission, he needs to know who's he working with."

"Ah, alright." the old man sounded resigned. "You always do what you want in the end, no matter what I say. Just show him what you got."

Margot turned her piercing gaze at Myers, and again he felt the strange sizzling in the air, and a sense of electricity made his skin go on goosebumps. And then he heard her voice inside of his head, clear and loud.

" _I like your pants, Myers."_

Myers almost choke to his coffee. "You like my pants?!"

Everyone's eyes were on Margot, and Hellboy was chuckling, but she shrugged indifferently.

"What? It was the first thing that came to my mind."

Myers felt how his cheeks blushed. _What's there to like in my pants?_ The thought made him hot and uneasy, and the way Margot was looking at him made it no easier.

"You are a telepath." he said.

Margot grinned. "Good boy."

"Tell the rest as well." Dr. Heinemann stated to his daughter.

Margot gave an impish smile, and made a small movement with her hand. As imitating her move, Myers's coffee mug escaped his fingers and flew across the room to the garbage bin.

"Hey, that was my coffee!" Myers protested.

"Ah, I'll get you a new one." Margot rolled her eyes. "Later. The bigger question here is, if you think my abilities could be of help on your mission. If so, say it."

A telepath, and a telecinetic. Hell yes, she'd be useful! Myers had felt bad enough for the fact that Abe couldn't have come with them, for he was busy doing research on a Aztek cult. It was always useful to have a telepath on board, when fighting the supernatural.

"It would be my pleasure to have you join my team." Myers said. "If only Dr. Heinemann gives his approval."

"Ah, no." Margot corrected. "I don't want to _join_ your team, Agent Myers. I want to _lead_ a team. I've earned it."

Dr Heinemann could not suppress his smile, as if he was secretly proud of his daughter, even if a bit ashamed as well. He seemed to ponder on her words for a few moments, before turning his gaze to Myers. "Well, you are on European soil, Agent Myers, so it is only fitting that an Europol agent is the team leader. I take it you have never been in Prague?"

"No I haven't." Myers had to admit. "And you are probably right. I need your help and co operation to succeed in this case, so I will trust in your judgement."

"Yay!" Margot grinned. "It's settled then! Come on Myers, I'll buy you that coffee now, if you're up to it."


	4. Part I: Parrots in the park

**Part I: Bored to Death**

 **Chapter: Parrots in the Park**

* * *

It turned out, the coffee had to wait. There were a dozen things to be taken care of, a team to be assembled, phone calls to be made etc. in order to be able to leave for Prague tomorrow. Hellboy had went back to his room a long time ago, and Margot had sent the other agents to do their preparations, so finally it was just Myers and her in the meeting room.

When they had finally finished all the dull paperwork, Margot was practically pulling her hair and muttering something in her native french, that Myers strongly suspected were a bunch of curses.

It was already way past lunchtime (they'd had some sandwiches while working), when Myers was finally satisfied with their plans, and called a break. "I think we're done for the day." he said, shutting down his laptop. "So how about that coffee now?"

Margot stood up, and stretched her muscles with a yawn. "Damn, we've spent six hours in this room, and you want to sit down some more?"

"We could go for a walk?" Myers suggested. "You did promise me a tour."

A small smile played on Margot's lips. "That's true, I did. But I'd rather go running - you want to join me?"

"Why not." Myers answered her smile.

So about half an hour later Myers was waiting for Margot in the lobby, wearing his sweatpants, and a grey T-shirt.

He couldn't help but to be a bit anxious about going out with Margot. Now he knew she was telepathic, which probably explained all the weird sensations he'd had around her the day before. But on the other hand, it raised more questions than it answered.

How much _had_ she read from his mind during their limo drive? (The thought made Myers blush slightly, for he remembered well enough the thoughts that had went through his mind when he'd checked out her looks.) Why was she wearing those gloves all the time? What had Dr. Heinemann been referring to, when speaking about 'the other thing'?

And **most importantly** : what had she meant about his pants?

It was that thought, that was in his mind, when he noticed Margot approaching. She was so pretty, it took his breath away: her red hair on a ponytail, her slender frame covered by active wear - pink running shorts, a loose sleeveless top decorated with flowers - and thin, long gloves that hid her arms up to her elbows.

"Still dwelling on the pants thing?" she grinned apologetically. "I'm sorry John, I didn't mean to embarrass you."

"That's fine." Myers replied, his cheeks suddenly burning. "But about that…"

"Yeah?" Margot asked, pressing the lift button.

"So you're a telepath, right?" he asked. "And I was just wondering how it worked-"

The lift came and they stepped inside, Margot flashing her ID on the monitor and pressing the ground floor button.

"So basically you're wondering if I see all that's in your head?" Margot asked giving him a slightly annoyed look.

Myers shrugged, "Yeah, I guess so. If we're going to work together, I should know what's the deal between us."

Margot gave him a quizzical look, raising her eyebrow. "The deal between us?" she asked. "Well, about that, I really can't say. But don't worry John, I'm trying to stay out of other people's heads - it's awfully noisy if I keep listening to all that crap people carry around in their minds."

"So you haven't been reading my mind then." Myers nodded. Well, that was a relief.

"Not intentionally." The lift reached the ground floor and stopped with a tweak. "So don't sweat about it, John."

They headed out of the building, Margot taking the lead, and as soon as they were on the pavement the burning heat of late afternoon was on them. They walked a short distance from the Europol office to a large park, that had a huge triumphal arch on the other end. The trees on the park gave some nice shadow, and even if the weather was hot, it didn't feel unbearable as they began to jog side by side on the paths.

"Look at the trees." Margot said after a while.

Myers looked up. A canopy was full and lush, of all shades of green, but it seemed otherwise ordinary. "What about them?"

"The birds. Can you see them?"

She still spoke without difficulty, even if they were jogging on a brisk pace, and Myers already felt his T-shirt getting sweaty and clinging to his back.

He observed the branches silently for a while, and then a glimpse of movement caught his eye. He couldn't help but to laugh out loud.

"They're-"

"Parrots." Margot grinned. "I know. It's great isn't it?"

"Parrots in the parks of Brussels." Myers remarked. "How did they get here?"

"Apparently they were freed from a zoo like fifty years ago, and they're still here. Hey, stranger things have happened."

Myers thought about his life during this past year, and had to agree whole heartedly.

"True." he noted. "About that-"

"And there we are again." Margot rolled her eyes. "You're about to ask me about my 'abilities' again, aren't you?"

"Am I that obvious?"

Margot sighed. "Just go on with it. Ask me."

They jogged forward, their footsteps fast and agile on a dusty path. Myers pondered on his words for a few moments before spoke.

"So, you want to tell me what did your father mean in the morning, when he referred to 'the last time'?"

"No, not really, but I guess I have to." Margot stated.

"As I said, if we're going to work together-"

"I know, I know. Honesty, and such?" She gave Myers a sideways glance. "Well, what happened is, I got angry."

Myers made a small laugh. "That doesn't sound so bad."

"You haven't seen me angry. Dad thinks my bad temper is an issue when I'm working."

"Is it?"

Again they ran forward silently for a while, and Myers began to think that this time Margot wouldn't answer at all. The sun was still shining, and the day was bright and pretty, but her face was shadowed by some dark thoughts she held.

"Bad things happen when I get mad." she finally said, not meeting his eyes.

"What things?"

"You're really pushing it, John." she answered, and her voice was stretched now.

"If we're going to work together, you'll have to trust me."

"Fine - I have some anger management issues, but I'm working on them." she snapped. "Dad wouldn't let me go out, if I was dangerous. Is that enough honesty for you?"

"For now." Myers said.

They jogged in silence for a while, her steps agile and fast as a feline's, her lips pressed together on a hard line. Her cheeks were red, from the exercise or suppressed emotion, he couldn't tell. Myers felt the air crackling around her, like there was thunder in the air,

"I'm sorry if I was prying." he said. "I do trust you. It wasn't my meaning to question that."

Margot gave him a gentler look, and the sudden sense of thunder diminished. "It's fine, John. I get it. It's just… Everyone here knows me already. It's been a long time since I've had to justify myself to anyone, and I'd forgotten how much it sucked."

Myers didn't quite know what to say to that, so for a few moments they just kept on running. His shirt was soaking now, and the dust from the pavements felt dry on his throat, but Margot seemed as pretty as ever. Her curls were moist, and her cheeks reddened, and there were droplets of sweat travelling down her throat, to her collarbones and to her-

Myers had to look up to stay focused. Damn, it was hot - or rather, _she_ was hot.

He furiously thought about something to say, but only one thing came to his mind.

"So… about my pants-?"

Margot burst into laughter. "Still thinking about that, John?"

"You managed to confuse me."

"Sorry." she wasl giggling. "You looked nice, that's all. I have a thing for men in neat suits."

Myers' heart skipped a beat. "You do?"

"Yeah - why else would I work for Europol? I can tell you, it's not for saving the world or for the free coffee." She winked at him. "But hey, I'm dying of thirst - let's buy something to drink from that booth, shall we?"

They stopped to to buy some bottles of water, and walked silently on the shadowy pathways hydrating themselves. It was difficult for Myers to keep his thoughts straight. Margot was so damn pretty, and her sweaty activewear didn't leave that much to his imagination. Her tight running shorts revealed her slender legs and her thigh gap, the top was moist and it was clinging to her chest, so that Myers could all too clearly see her nipples through the thin fabric of the top and her bra.

A hot tug of need flashed through his veins, and it had nothing to do with the way the sun was burning.

He turned his gaze away, opened the second bottle of cold water, and splashed some of it's contents on his head and shoulders - he really needed to get his head back in the game. _Christ, it was cold!_ He shuddered, but it worked.

He turned to Margot again, this time with a clearer mind. Her hair was a mess, probably due to sweating and the heat, and he noticed there was a leaf stuck to her curls behind her right ear. Without even thinking about it, he raised his hand to pick it away - but as soon as he did so, Margot stepped back, and raised her arm as if to defend herself from a blow.

Myers froze. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Don't!" she breathed, her posture still stiff. "Do not touch me!"

"I wasn't going to." Myers felt his cheeks burning. "There is a leaf in your hair." he pointed it out. "I was only going to take that off, that's all."

Margot stared at him silently for a few heartbeats, a scared and furious look in her eyes. He could practically hear her rapid pulse in his ears. Finally, after a silence that felt like an eternity, Margot raised her hand - Myers noticed it was shaking - and picked the small leaf from her hair. She looked at it, turned it in her fingers for a while, and then let it fall with a sad sigh.

"I'm sorry John." she said then, and her voice was back to normal. "I think I owe you an explanation."

"I'd appreciate it." he said. He felt hurt by her reaction. For a guy who's never hit a girl, it felt bad to be treated as if he'd tried to do it.

"Come on, let's jog. I'd rather talk like that." Margot said, and took off without bothering to check if Myers was following her.

"You see, I'm not a normal human being like you. I am a freak." she said after a few moments of silence. "And all of us freaks have a sob story."

"You're hardly a freak, Margot." he protested.

"Don't let my pretty face make you think otherwise." Margot noted. "But lucky for you, I hate sob stories, so I'm not going to burden you with mine. I'll only tell you what you need to know."

"That's all I'm asking for."

She was again silent for a moment, the only sound between them their rapid breathing and the steps on the pavement.

"Until I turned 14, I had this normal life." her voice was quiet, and emotionless. "But then… things happened. Bad things. My parents were the first ones to call me a freak. They dumped me."

"I'm sorry." Myers said. He knew all too well how it was to grow up without parents.

"Don't be. I don't want your pity." She gave him a look that told him he was walking on a thin line. "It turned out fine, Stefan found me and took me to live with him. He adopted me, so I've practically been raised up surrounded by Europol's folk and paranormal stuff. I'm a freak to the bone. I know what I am, and it's fine. It's just…"

"Other people shouldn't touch you." Myers completed her sentence. "Why?"

"You are a prying one." Margot noted.

"That's why you wear the gloves all the time." he realized. "To not accidentally touch someone."

"Yup." Margot stated. She let her running turn into walking, and finally she stopped still.

"Why is that?" Myers demanded.

His breathing was fast, and droplets of sweat were running down on his forehead and neck. He raised his hand to wipe them off, but it hardly helped. The air felt heavy around them - perhaps there was a real thunder approaching.

Margot had turned to face him. There was a nervous look in her eyes, evasive, and she shifted uneasily on her feet.

"It's hard to explain." she finally said. "I'd rather show you."

"What do I do?" he asked, and his voice felt thick and nervous in his throat.

She raised her eyes, and looked straight at him, fear in her green eyes.

"Touch me."

There was a plea in her silent, soft voice, and he could not resist it. The hot tug of need was back in his veins, and he felt her presence on his skin as an agonizing warmth. Hesitating, he took a step closer. Her cheeks were burning, her breathing was fast and shallow, and he had the feeling it wasn't just because of the running. She was so tiny - a full head shorter than he was, and her frame was delicate. It called to him, and he could not resist. Slowly Myers raised his hand, and ran his fingers through her hair.

Margot was trembling, and the strong sense of electricity surrounded Myers. The hair on his arms stood up, but otherwise nothing out of ordinary happened. Her hair was soft and moist, it curled around his fingers and he couldn't help but to bury his hand deeper in it.

God, it felt so good to touch her! Myers felt his whole body aching to pull her closer, but Margot seemed so vulnerable, so scared, that he was afraid to do so.

"You need to touch my skin." Margot breathed.

Myers felt the warmth of her body so close to him, the air she breathed fell on his face as she looked up, and he just couldn't help it.

His fingers still in her hair, he pulled her closer, for a kiss.

A small gasp of surprise escaped her lips, but then she gave in. Her gloved hands were on his chest, her lips opened to meet his, and just as they met-

It was as if a lightning had struck him.

Myers gasped for air, as a pain flashed through him. His eyes blackened, his head was spinning. For a moment he lost touch to reality - he wasn't sure who he was, or where he was, for everything suddenly seemed different. Felt different.

He broke the kiss, and pressed his forehead against Margot's, grasping her hair with both hands. She was the only solid thing he could grab - it felt as if his feet weren't even touching the ground anymore.

"What's happening?!" he breathed, his voice hoarse, still pressing his eyes shut.

" _Try to calm down, it's alright."_ Margot's voice was in his head, in his mind, in his soul and in every cell of his body. " _What do you feel?"_

"I feel - everything." He breathed, and that was the truth.

He felt everything she felt, everything she thought, everything she _was._ There was no barrier between their minds, it was as if they were one.

A joint consciousness.

" _This is awesome!"_ Myers thought, and instantly it was in both of their minds.

Margot laughed. " _That's not what people usually say."_

" _It's because they weren't kissing you."_ Myers replied.

He pushed his fingers through her hair, and kissed her again, opening her lips with his, letting his tongue find hers. The kiss was deep, slow and burning.

It felt a thousand times more exciting now. Her rapid pulse, her fast breathing, the salty taste of her mouth - it made a flash of burning lust burst through his core.

There was no hiding it - Margot caught it as it happened. She made a surprised gasp, took a step back breaking their kiss and cutting off their connection.

It felt like his heart had been ripped out of his chest. The pain made him wince and he almost fell down to his knees.

"Jesus!" he cursed, blinking his eyes. It felt horrible, their connection gone, he felt empty, hollow and aching.

But Margot seemed unaffected.

"This probably isn't the best idea." she stated, not meeting his eyes.

"This probably isn't the best idea." Margot stated, her chest heaving with her breathing, her cheeks burning.

Myers wanted to protest, but one look of her face silenced him.

Yeah, she had liked his kiss - that much had been obvious - but it wasn't all. The look in her eyes was scared now, and he didn't understand why.

She turned her back at him, and started running again. Myers groaned, trying to suppress his desperate need, he went after her.

Quickly he reached her side, but a glance she gave him, told Myers it was best not to mention what had happened. They jogged back to the Europol's building in silence, that was only interfered by the constant chirping of parrots in the canopy.


	5. Part I: She's got my soul

**Part I: Bored to Death**

 **Chapter: She's got my soul**

* * *

It was about four a clock in the afternoon, that Myers stepped out of his room, after showering and changing clothes, and went to search for Red. As expected, he found him in his room, eating and watching TV.

"Hey, boyscout." Hellboy greeted him, only briefly turning his gaze from the screen. "What's up?"

"There's a cat on your bed." Myers stated.

"Yeah." Hellboy smiled, and turned to scratch the little tortoiseshell cat. "I know."

"Whose is it?" Myers was baffled.

"Your girlfriend's." Red chuckled. "She loaned the kitty for me."

"She's not my girlfriend!" Myers protested, but the burning of his cheeks betrayed his emotion.

"Yet you knew who I was referring to." Hellboy chuckled. "You had a good date with her?"

"It wasn't a date, and this is none of your damn business, Red." Myers stated. "We're here for work, not for socialising, and-"

"Oh come on, kid, loosen up a bit. We'll be off to monster hunt tomorrow - this is our night off."

"Not so much. I have a ton of work to do - Manning has sent me like a hundred emails." Myers rolled his eyes. "It's like he's incapable of running the place for one weekend without me."

"Yeah, Manning." Red replied, still caressing the little cat, who was purring contently. "He's an ass. Don't try to save him by doing his stuff for him."

"Well, someone has to." Myers stated. "I don't want the place to burn down while we're here."

"Mh." Hellboy made an indifferent sound, taking another bite of a huge sandwich he'd been holding. "Don't sweat it, Myers. You can't work tonight - we have plans."

"We do?" Myers raised an eyebrow. "Like what? Sitting here watching you eat 10 pizzas doesn't sound like a plan to me."

The demon chuckled. "It's your gal's birthday today - she invited us to a party."

"But… but-" Myers felt his cheeks burning again - damn! "She said none of that to me."

Hellboy took a look of him, and made a small laugh. "Well that's what she said, when she brought the cat. The party's at seven in her place."

"And you're gonna go?"

"Sure." Hellboy stated. "She promised there'lll be beer."

"Great." Myers said, with a voice that told he didn't really feel great at all.

He checked the time - it was almost half past four. That meant he'd have to hurry.

* * *

Two and half hours later, he was standing outside Margot's door, wearing a neat, navy blue Italian suit (new one, from Massimo Dutti) and holding a bucket of long, red roses. The music and a loud chattering of happy people echoed from Margot's apartment to the hallway.

Myers cleared his throat - felt nervous as hell.

Margot Duval had taken his soul, he knew. It was weird and it was unexpected, but it was also an undeniable fact.

Him, of all people, had fell head over heels for a girl he'd known less than 24 hours. He knew he was lost - it was as if she'd put a spell on him, and his restless soul could not stop longing for her.

Plus, the truth be told, he felt that the new suit was a way too tight - no matter, that the sales lady had told him it fit like a glove, and made him look great. "Like a Roman statue!" she had said, though Myers thought it was a bad metaphor, since the roman statues were mostly naked.

And then the roses.

Myers took a look at the bucket, that seemed to reveal his emotions way too clearly, and felt suddenly embarrassed.

Hellboy, who approached on the hallway, smirking at him, didn't help at all.

"Awwww, and I didn't get you anything, Myers!"

Myers rolled his eyes. "They are not for you."

"Hoping they will help you get lucky?" Hellboy raised an eyebrow. "Looking nice tonight, Myers - new suit and all."

"It's not new." he lied, badly. "We are late as it is, are we gonna go in?"

"Sure, kiddo." Hellboy knocked on the door. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."

The party was a disaster.

In Margot's tiny two room apartment on the -7th floor, there were about 40 people, and of course Myers knew no one. Margot was breathtakingly beautiful - wearing black pants, high heels and a dark green satin corset with matching gloves - but she seemed to avoid him.

Sure, she thanked for the roses, offered him some champagne - but after that she was off to talking to other people, busying herself with making more punch etc. She hardly looked at his direction, and Myers knew it was intentional. He felt devastated.

Hellboy on the other hand seemed content. He had stationed himself by the table, and was happily stuffing himself with food, and Margot spent a lot of time talking with him about Kat - her best friend and his girlfriend. They even called her to say hi, which made Myers feel like a total outsider.

He poured himself a glass of white wine (even if he hardly ever drank alcohol), and busied himself going through Margot's comic book collection, but as it was almost completely in french, it wasn't that uplifting.

And he just couldn't stop thinking about Margot.

She was so beautiful - the porcelain white skin of her bare shoulders, her swan like neck, her collarbones, the deep of her neck… Myers could not help but to stare, which made him feel like a peeping tom.

Disgusting. What was wrong with him? He was acting as if he'd never seen a girl before, which really wasn't the case.

He wasn't a ladies man, not really, but he'd had a few girlfriends - a smart blond called Jessie on the Quantigo, and a long term relationship with a high school sweetheart, and a few more - but none of them had made him feel like this. Not even during the most agonizing teenage years, had he ever felt this insecure and plain horny in front of a girl.

Just looking at Margot made his pulse accelerate, his palms sweat and a hot ache swell in his core. He felt the shadow of her kiss burning on his lips, and his mouth watered.

Damn him. Damn this! What was _wrong_ with him?

The wine did no good, and he was beginning to feel miserable. After about an hour he'd had enough. Hellboy had left, after finishing about every dish there had been on the table, Margot still seemed to avoid him, everyone was speaking French, German or some other European language he didn't even recognize. A beautiful blond started chatting with him, but he wasn't even a little bit interested, and managed to repel her by drooling after Margot.

Splendid.

He made way through the crowd to Margot.

"Hey, I'll be leaving now." he stated, leaning closer to her so that she'd hear him over the music. "Thanks for the party, Margot."

She looked up, suddenly completely ignoring the tall guy she'd been chatting with.

"What do you mean, you're leaving?"

"I…" he cleared his throat. "I shouldn't have come. I'm sorry. I feel like a complete ass. I can see now, that I offended you with that… kiss." he lowered his voice for the last word.

"No, that's not it at all!" Margot replied, and waved her hand, making the other guy take a walk. "You can't leave, I forbid it."

"You forbid it?" Myers couldn't help but to laugh.

"I am the birthday girl, so it is only fitting that I make a request." There was a flirtatious tone in her voice now, one that didn't go unnoticed by Myers.

"Seriously? After ignoring me during the whole night, you now tell me I must stay?"

"Ah, I'm sorry about that." Margot bit her lip. "But it isn't what you think. I want you to stay, I really do. In fact - I'm beginning to think that this party is a little bit too crowded."

She span around, took a look of her friends and colleagues, and seemed to concentrate hard for a moment. And then, one by one the people simply began to walk to her, to shake her hand and say their thanks and goodbyes. It only took a few minutes, and the room was empty. It was just him and her now, and suddenly he felt super nervous again.

"A Jedi mind trick." Myers noted, raising his glass. "I'm impressed."

Margot shrugged. "I only use that when it's an emergency."

"Oh. And what's the emergency?"

"I haven't had nearly enough champagne." Margot grinned. "And as it is my party, I'm ordering that you have a glass with me."

She walked to the kitchen, and took a fresh bottle from the fridge, handing it to him. "Would you mind?" she asked.

"Sure." he said, and began opening it.

Soon they had glasses full of the delicious sparkling gold, and Myers gratefully sipped of his. Now that it was just the two of them, he suddenly felt anxious again. He didn't know what to expect, and it bothered him. Margot had hardly looked at him after the kiss in the park, and now… now there was something totally different in her, and if he wasn't mistaken, she was definitely flirting with him.

"That's a nice suit, John." she said after they had finished their first glasses, and she poured some more champagne for him. "Massimo Dutti, right?"

He blushed. "Yeah, I needed a new one, so-"

"I like it." she looked at him from head to toe, which made him feel a bit objectified - not that he mined. "It makes you look great."

Myers cleared his throat. She was standing very close to him now. She'd put her glass and the bottle on the kitchen counter, and her fingers were on his arm, as if to feel the fabric of his suit, but actually they were feeling his bicep.

"You think I'm pretty?" she asked then, looking up to him with her oh, so green eyes.

Myers could hardly speak. His voice felt thick and low in his throat. "You know I do."

Margot giggled. "That's true, but I want to hear you say it."

"I've never seen anyone more beautiful than you are."

"Awww." Margot smiled. "That's adorable."

Her fingers were on his chest now, under his jacket, pulling it off.

 _Christ, he felt horny_ \- a hot need welled in his core, making him already hard in his pants, and he was sure Margot knew it. Teasingly, biting her lip, she opened his jacket and he helped her to remove it completely.

She seemed to be pleased on what she was seeing. A sinful grin on her lips, she hopped to sit on the kitchen counter so that their faces were on the same height. Her gloved fingers were on his tie now, and she pulled him closer as if he was a dog on a leash. Her lips were so close of his own, that he felt her breathing on him, tasted the champagne she'd been drinking, inhaled her faint scent of roses and cinnamon. He groaned, the need burning in his veins, and tried to kiss her, but she retreated giving him a shameless grin.

"Oh, no." she stated. "Not yet, Thad."

"Thad?" he managed to ask. "Where did that come from?"

"Your middle name, Thaddeus. I find it cute."

She was opening the Windsor knot of his tie now, with slow deliberate moves, and as soon as she was done, she threw it on the floor.

"Lose the shirt." it was a command, and he obeyed willingly. It didn't take long for him to open the buttons, and remove the undesired piece of clothing.

Her gloved hands were on his shoulders now, and he felt the warmth of her touch on his skin. It sent a shiver to his spine, and immediately made him so hard in his pants, that it was all but unbearable.

"What is it like, Thad?" she asked, purring, her fingers tracing his biceps, moving down his arms. "To not know what other people think? How they feel?"

He cleared his throat. "At a moment it puts me on disadvantage."

Margot's laughter was soft and dark as the night, and she had stars and champagne bubbles in her eyes. "Poor you."

He groaned desperately, digging his fingers in her hips, feeling the softness of her curves on his palms, but there was the fabric of her pants between them, and he wished he could just rip it off. Desperately he leaned closer, trying to steal a kiss, but she stopped him by placing her gloved fingers on his lips.

"You're eager." she breathed. "But I said, _not yet_."

Her fingers brushed his lips, followed the line of his jaw to his neck and collarbone. He shivered under her touch, a need so burning and consuming eating him alive, that he was sure he'd burst or die, if he didn't have her lips on his soon.

"Give me some mercy." he moaned, his voice hoarse and thick in his throat. "Let me touch you, please."

"I know exactly what's going through your head right now." she breathed close to his ear. Her hands were now on his chest, on his abdomen, moving downwards as she spoke.

"I bet you do." Myers groaned. "Then stop teasing me, and do something about it."

"Oh." she made a small, arousing laughter. "I'm liking _this._ "

And her hand was on his crotch, finding the evident bulge, palming him hard through the fabric.

"Christ!" he cursed, as she began to massage him, her fingers skillfully playing on his length, finding even through the fabric the most sensitive spots of his manhood.

He thought he'd come right away. He was so aroused, it took all he had to suppress the need to throw her on the table, to rip open her clothes and to have her right there, with or without her consent.

She paused for a moment, just to remove her gloves - _finally_ \- and then her hands were on the skin of his abdomen, and he felt the lightning struck he'd been aching for, going through his veins, and he was swept to her mind, to her consciousness again.

It made him groan, and a cry of ecstasy escaped his lips.

For he felt everything she felt, and _she wanted him._

Her slender fingers were opening his belt now. _God, it had been a really, really long time, since_ \- he gulped, and suppressed the thought. He _so_ didn't want Margot catching that.

But she chuckled on a way that told Myers just how much fun she was having at his expense. Her fingers determinately opened the buckle of his belt, and played teasingly on the waistband of his trousers, making his breathing fast and shallow.

"You're in need of some, aren't you John?" Margot breathed, and looked at him through her lashes on a way that took his breath away.

"Oh God, yes…" he managed, and leaned closer to kiss her again, and this time she let him. Her mouth was small, her lips full and gorgeous, and she tasted of lust, love and wine, which made him high headed.

He was so hard in his pants, that it made him really uncomfortable, he could practically feel every throbbing vein in his cock, and Margot sure took her time opening the button and the zipper. _If she would just hurry up-_

"You're impatient!" Margot giggled, and finally pulled down his zipper. "Let's not rush it, Thad, that's not the way I like it."

"Then tell me how do you like it?" his voice felt raspy and thick in his throat. He let his hands wander to her bare shoulders and from them to the lacing of her corset. His fingers felt a way too clumsy as he began to open it, but Margot didn't seem to mind.

She had wrapped her thighs around his hips, and pulled him closer, and agonisingly her cool, delicate fingers had began to pull down his pants - and boxers.

A moan of lust escaped his lips, as Margot found his aching shaft that was already bursting with heat.

"I like it hard." She breathed, and began to slide her fingers aimlessly up and down his length, making him moan again. "I like it rough and rude, wild and dirty, and desperate as hell."

"You do?" Myers groaned, his voice thick with lust now. "I'm up for that if you are."

"Yeah?" Margot grabbed his shaft hard now, pumping up and down, making him groan again.

"Jesus…!" he cursed. It had been _such_ a long time, and the way she touched him was way more arousing than anything he had ever experienced. Her hand on him was skillful, rough and gentle at the same time, and she grabbed him with just enough pressure, reading his need from his mind. But it worked both ways: being able to feel with every cell of his body, that she wanted him, took away all his usual nervousness and hesitation. This was pure lust, and they were both burning.

He buried his fingers into her curls, and pulled her closer for a kiss, opened her lips with his, and let his tongue find hers. But too soon she broke the kiss, and pushed him a bit further.

"I want you to fuck me like there is no tomorrow, John Myers." Margot breathed, and that was enough to make him lose all control.

With force he tore open the lacing of her corset, and threw the piece of clothing on the floor. Her small breasts were revealed now, shaped like apple halves, their hardened nipples begging for his touch. He cupped them with both hands, the sensation of making his erection throb.

"Oh, yes...!" Margot encouraged him, and let go of his cock, wrapping her arms around his neck now. He knew instinctively what she wanted for him to do, and he began to massage her breasts, tugging hard on her nipples, making her breathing turn fast.

God, it felt heavenly! Her body was trembling, and the sounds that escaped from her lips made him so hard, it was almost unbearable. But the best part were her thoughts, for the more he aroused her, the less she was able to block him, and now he was seeing and feeling pretty much everything she was.

 _And she wanted him._ The thought took his breath away. _She wanted for him to-_

"I really, really need to get these pants off." Margot exhaled, her cheeks rosy and her breathing fast.

"Yeah, sure." He didn't take too much time opening the button and the zipper, but as she was sitting on the table and he was between her thighs, it took some squirming and cursing to get the pants off, but finally she was all naked.

 _Gods, she is beautiful!_ the thought flashed in his mind, and was instantly picked up by Margot. She responded by giving him a wicked grin, and pulled him closer, wrapping her legs around his hips.

Her hand was on his cock now, pumping him rough, and he couldn't help but to spit out a few curses.

"Fuck, Margot, I-"

"Hush, don't talk!" she hissed, and kissed him, pulling him closer as if to guide him in.

Myers gasped: "Wait, don't you want for me to-"

" _No more foreplay, I want the real thing!"_ he heard her voice inside of his head.

" _But what about birth control, we-"_

"I've got that covered." Margot snapped, and sent the next thought straight to his mind: _Won't you ever stop talking, and fuck me?!_

That took away his hesitation. His shaft throbbed and ached, longing to get inside of her, and the feeling of her slick, wet folds against him made the need burn in his veins. He couldn't resist the promise they held, and with a long, rough thrust he pushed inside.

"Ah! Please!" Margot moaned desperately, as he stretched her open. "Oh please, harder!"

He felt her plea inside his soul, in every inch of his being, and it felt like a command.

Groaning he did as he was told, grasped her hips, and pushed deeper. Her body was hot and melting under his touch, she lay down on the table, and arched her back. Her eyes were closed now, the look on her face was pure bliss and pain.

"Please…!" she breathed. "Please…!"

He picked up a fast rhythm, just as he felt she wanted. Every push was deep and rough, and was rewarded by a moan that escaped from her lips. Her pale, milky white skin glowed, her divine breasts moved paced by his thrusts, she was biting her lip. Her arms and legs seemed weak now, her fingers aimlessly grasping for air, the table and for his hands that were still on her hips.

 _Fuck me like there is no tomorrow!_ He heard her words echoing in his mind, and it was all too much.

"Margot, I'll-" he groaned, as the pressure in his throbbing shaft kept growing.

But as he began to talk, he knew already that it was pointless. She shared his mind, shared every inch of his lust and his need was hers too.

" _Yes..!"_ Margot answered in his mind. " _Thad!"_

"Oh Christ!" he groaned, and let go. He felt Margot's body arching, her legs spasming, and just as he pushed inside harder than ever, she gasped and her orgasm washed over him, pushing him over the edge too. He came like never before, emptying himself in her, the last waves of her orgasm milking him dry.


	6. Part I: Issues!

**Part I: Bored to Death**

 **Chapter: Issues!**

* * *

He woke up at the phone ringing.

Groggy, he shifted uncomfortably, turned around and tried to find his phone.

"Hello?" he answered, yawning.

"Myers, you stud!" that was unmistakable Kat Wagner's voice. "You've been in Europe less than 48 hours, and you're already acting like a Frenchman."

Myers cursed in his mind. He opened his eyes - yeah, he was still in Margot's room, but the bed was empty - where was she?

"What do you want, Kat?" he asked, trying to reach his office voice. "Is everything alright in there?"

"Don't try to change the subject." she snapped. "I got some pretty drunk texts from Margot last night. So it's true then, you slept with her?"

"None of your business." Myers replied and rolled his eyes.

"You've made it my business, by sleeping with my best friend. She's pretty special, you know. If you hurt her, I'll kill you - no offence."

"Yeah." Myers grunted. "Well, not planning to hurt her, quite the opposite, actually."

"So, wanna tell me what is this all about?" Kat inquired, clearly bursting of curiosity. "It isn't really like you, to sleep with someone you barely know."

"Ah." Myers felt his cheeks blushing. "Why don't you ask her, she's your friend, isn't she?"

"You're my friend too, kid." Kat smirked. "Besides, she isn't answering her phone. I tried to call her a dozen times - you keeping her busy, are you Myers?"

Myers sat up in the bed. "Actually I'm not. She's gone-"

"Where?" Kat asked.

"I don't know."

There was a short silence on the line, which Myers didn't like at all.

"Oh, damn that girl." Kat said then. "But don't worry boy scout - I'll talk to her."

"Hey!" Myers replied. "Why should I worry?"

But Kat had already hung up, and Myers was left alone, sitting naked in an empty bed, holding a mute phone in his hand.

As he took a shower and dressed up, he went through the last night in his mind.

After the mind blowing sex in the kitchen, he had carried her to the bedroom. On her bed he had then pleased her to yet another orgasm, this time using his mouth and fingers. God, it had been so easy, feeling everything she felt, knowing exactly where and how to touch her - it had made him feel like the best lover in the world.

And then, another round of lovemaking. This time slower, gentler and more intimate. He'd been on top, holding her in his arms, kissing her lips, her neck, her collarbones, breathing the air she'd breathed. Their bodies had moved as one, and again they'd reached the peak at the same time.

Damn, just thinking about it made him hard again.

He was pretty sure he'd never had it as good as last night, not nearly as good. Plus, he'd given her three orgasms. That must've been nice for her too, right?

So then, why was she gone? And why the Hell had Kat told him not to worry?

When Kat told not to worry - he worried.

* * *

He left Margot's apartment and went looking for her in the cafeteria, but she wasn't there, so he ended up eating the breakfast alone.

She wasn't answering her phone either, and little by little Myers' cheerful mood began to fall. It wasn't until a full hour later, when he had already returned to his room and was packing his stuff in order to be ready when it was time to leave, when he heard a knock on the door.

His heart skipped a beat, and he rushed to the door.

"Margot…!" he breathed.

And it truly was her. Just as petite as pretty as he'd remembered - her flaming red hair was on a ponytail, she was wearing jeans and a T-shirt again - and she looked miserable.

Her eyes were reddened as if she'd been crying, and she didn't meet his eyes.

"Hey, John." her voice was quiet and distant. "Can I come in?"

"Sure." he stepped aside to let her pass. "I tried to find you… where were you?"

"It doesn't matter." she was staring at her feet, not looking up. Her whole posture was stiff and she was shifting uncomfortably on her feet. "I just came to tell you, that we'll be leaving to Prague soon. Pack your stuff and meet me in the lobby in one hour."

"Margot, what is this?" he asked. His heart felt heavy and cold as stone. "What's happened?"

"What do you mean, what's happened?" anger flashed in her pretty eyes. "I thought you were here to work - it's time to go."

"But last night." He stammered. "I thought-"

"Well don't." Margot snapped. "It was a huge mistake."

It felt like she'd hit him.

"No it wasn't." he stated. "It was the best thing that has ever happened to me."

"Well not to me." her voice was cold as ice. "I suggest you get over it, and get your shit together, Myers. I need you sharp on this mission, not some drooling idiot, who can't do what he's told."

Her mean words cut through his heart like a spear, and left him speechless. For a few heartbeats they just stared at each other, and Myers felt his heart breaking.

"Fine." he said then. "As you wish."

Without another word she left, leaving him alone in his room, dying inside.

* * *

A hollow shell of a man, he finished packing, then carrying his bag he shambled to Red's room.

He'd already packed his things and was waiting for Myers.

"Took you long enough, boy scout." He smirked. "Tired after last night?"

Myers rolled his eyes, and cursed in his mind. He _so_ wasn't up to this right now.

"Gods, you've been talking to Kat, haven't you?"

"So was it the suit, or the roses?" Hellboy was still grinning. "About time you got lucky, whimp. Must've been some time since the last time."

"I'm gonna tell you exactly what I told Kat - That it's none of your business." Myers's voice was strained. "So for once, would you please just shut up?"

He didn't notice it himself, but he was actually shouting the last words.

That finally told Hellboy, that something was amiss with Myers.

"Hey, what's wrong, kiddo?" he stated.

"Nothing." Myers turned his back at Red. "We should be going."

"Fine." Red muttered, picking up his backpack. "But I'm just saying, that if this is your mood after getting laid, I'm damn glad it's not happening more often."

"You really can't do it, can you?" Myers stated.

"Do what?"

"The shutting up part."

Red chuckled. "Nah."

They were walking on the hallway, leading to the lobby where they were supposed to meet Margot and the rest of the team.

"Just…" Myers was searching for words. "Just don't say anything to Margot, please. Tease me all you want to, but leave her be."

Red shrugged. "Alright. But why?"

"Because she made it pretty clear to me, that we're done."

"What?" the red man seemed puzzled. "That's nuts."

"Apparently she thinks this was a mistake, and we should concentrate on the job." Just saying it out loud made his heart ache, and he felt a lump in his throat.

Damn it, he was _not_ going to cry!

"Oh, crap, kid. Were you that bad?"

That was it. He'd heard enough.

"Red, with all due respect, this is a conversation that can only end in a gunshot."

"Fine, fine!" Hellboy muttered, and finally shut up.

About time, for they had arrived at the lobby, and Margot, accompanied by two other agents, was waiting for them.

* * *

It took a few hours to fly from Brussels to Prague, and during that time Margot didn't say a word to Myers. It didn't make him feel any better, to notice that she wasn't speaking to anybody else either. She was just staring out of the window, wearing a pair of sunglasses that hid her eyes from view, her lips a hard line and her posture stiff.

When they arrived at Prague, it was early afternoon. Margot's mood seemed to improve immediately after the plane landed, which didn't go unnoticed by Myers. And as soon as they stepped out, he realized why.

There was an agent waiting for them. A young man, a really good looking fellow with long, wavy brown hair and big dark eyes. He was wearing jeans and a band T-shirt and he looked like he'd escaped from a rock band. Myers disliked him immediately.

Margot hopped down the stairs, and ran to the wannabe rocker, threw herself on his arms and he hugged her tight. He kissed her on the cheek - and Myers felt a horrible stab of jealousy cutting through his heart.

It was unbearable to witness the moment, knowing that right in front of his eyes these two were sharing their innermost thoughts.

"Damn, Myers." Hellboy noted. "It looks like you've got competition."

"Shut up." Myers replied, and for once Red did as he'd asked.

The man, who had the physics of an athlete, and the face of a male model, approached them smiling, Margot hopping contently on his side.

"Welcome, welcome!" The man said with fluent English. "So glad you could come to our aid. My name is Marco Dornak, and I'm in charge of our tiny paranormal unit."

"John Myers." he stated flatly.

"God, it's awesome to meet _you_!" Marco exclaimed, staring at Hellboy. "I've heard stories, of course, but I never thought they were real."

"Because my dad told they weren't" Margot rolled her eyes. "I'm not believing him about Iku-Turso anymore either."

"Still going on about that?" Marco laughed. "You haven't changed a bit."

"Neither have you, handsome." Margot returned his smile, and snuggled to his side. Marco wrapped an arm around her petite form, and Myers got a sudden desire to start shooting people.

They had hardly gotten to the black car waiting for them, that Myers sent a text to Kat.

"Who is Marco Dornak?"

It didn't take long before she answered. "Crap."

"Yeah, he's crap, but who the hell is he?"

"Her ex. I'm sorry, Myers."

Myers couldn't reply anymore.

It all seemed to make sense now, that he was watching Margot happily chatting with her ex boyfriend. Myers realized now, that Margot had really meant it, when she'd told him it was over. He had been nothing but a toy, something to play with, and then thrown away when something more interesting showed up.

He felt used. Betrayed. Cheated.

"Myers? What's going on?" Kat sent another text. And another. "ANSWER ME!"

But Myers closed his cellphone, and stuffed it deep into his pocket.

There was absolutely nothing Kat could say, that would make this better.


	7. Part I: What are friends for?

**Part I: Bored to Death**

 **Chapter: What are friends for?**

* * *

Myers had been buried in his emails for at least a few hours, (Damn that Manning - couldn't he do anything?) when he suddenly heard a loud bang from the door.

His hopes stirred - Margot?

But no such luck. There was Red, giving him a stare that would have scared a lesser man shitless.

"Wimp." he growled, pointing a finger at him. "Answer your phone."

"You've been trying to call me?" Myers dug out his phone. Shit - he'd forgotten it was on mute!

"No, but Kat's been driving me crazy."

"Kat?" Myers gave him a puzzled look. "What does she want?"

"To talk to you." Hellboy rolled his eyes. "And you'd damn well better answer, and get your shit together. I don't want to hear any more whining about your love life."

Myers rolled his eyes, and checked his phone. Crap - Kat had been trying to call him 57 times, and there were at least as many messages. He _so_ was not going to read them all.

"Fine, Red." he said. "I'll deal with Kat, Ok?"

"You'd better." Hellboy grunted. "She's mad at _me_ now, and I haven't got the slightest idea why. Fix it!"

* * *

On the other side of Atlantic Ocean, a certain young woman was restlessly pacing around Hellboy's room. She was tall and slender, her hair was pitch black, her skin was of a striking shade of blue and she had a long, pointy tail, that made wide circles in the air behind her.

She dialed Myers' number for what felt like 100th time - but unlike before, now he actually answered.

"Myers, damn it! Answer your phone!" she snapped.

"I _am_ answering it." his voice was blunt. "What do you want?"

Kat blinked a few times. Myers sounded completely normal, but she wasn't about to let that fool her. She'd seen what Margot was capable of doing to guys, and she had a very bad feeling about what was going on.

"Is she still not talking to you?" she asked.

Myers sighed, and Kat practically saw him rolling his eyes - he did that a lot to her.

But he also knew, that when Kat was curious, he wasn't going to get off the hook without telling her exactly what she wanted to know.

"Not so much, no." he paused for a while. "Well, she talked to me about work, sure. We had all kinds of meetings today about the job. I sent Mannings a report about it, shared it to you too. You should read it."

"First things first, Myers - forget about the job." Kat was growing impatient. "So you haven't talked - about the other stuff?"

"About the stuff where she slept with me, and then told me it's over?" Myers sounded a bit bitter - Kat could hardly blame him. "Well, I did try to bring it up, but it didn't go so well."

"What do you mean?"

Myers was quiet for a few heartbeats.

"Well, she threw me to the wall, telekinetically."

"What!" Kat screamed. "What did you do to her?"

"Nothing! I just tried to comfort her when she was crying."

"You made her cry and then you tried to grab her?" Kat could hardly believe her (slightly pointed) ears. "Man, no wonder your love life sucks."

"Gee, thanks." said Myers. "You're making me feel so much better right now."

"Oh, kid." Kat said, and finally sat down on the bed, making room fer herself among various cats. "I really wish I could help you, but Margot isn't answering her phone either. And she can be really stubborn if she wishes to be."

"Yeah, tell me about it." he stated gloomily. "I mean, I don't understand what's going on. I know she likes me, she…" He paused for a short while, as if searching for words. "Ah, Gods, I know she _wants_ me. But then, she keeps pushing me away. I don't get why. Does she… does she have someone else?"

"Not that I know of." Kat replied. "I mean, nothing serious anyways. In the matter of fact, in these few years I've known her, she's never had a real boyfriend." (Well, there _had_ been the short fling with Jay, Kat's brother, but she wasn't gonna tell Myers that, was she?) "She's kind of a lone wolf, I guess."

"A lone wolf?" Myers sounded incredulous. "What you're saying, is that she sleeps around, right?"

"Well, yeah." Kat shrugged. Margot did that - a lot, sometimes. "But it wasn't just a one night stand for you, was it, John?"

"No. Damn, Kat. I've never felt like this about anyone." his voice was desperate, and it made Kat feel really bad for him. "I think I'm falling in love with her."

"I'll be damned." said Kat. "This will be harder to fix than I though."

* * *

In a small nightclub on a dark alley of Prague, Margot Duval sat on the table with her ex boyfriend, and tried to drown her troubles in cheap beer. It usually worked just fine, but there was something different about this night. No matter how much she tried to have fun, she seemed amiss.

She felt lost.

And she didn't even know what she was looking for.

"Margot, what's wrong?" asked Marco, taking her gloved hand. "You're not yourself."

"Rubbish." Margot tried to smile. They were speaking Czech, hers not quite as fluent as his. "I'm fine. I'm just nervous about tomorrow, that's all."

"Yeah, your first time as a team leader." he gave her a comforting smile. "But it's gonna be great. I'll be there to back you up, just like the old times."

Margot took a gulp of her beer, and eyed the dance floor. So many beautiful people dancing, their bodies moving to the music. Margot felt the beat in her core, and she wanted to be swept to it, moving her body to it, sweating her troubles away. She wanted for her body to press against someone on the dance floor, against a dark, handsome stranger to whom she'd show all about pleasure later on, and then John would - she shook her head, and the image shattered.

What was _wrong_ with her - even now she could only see Myers' face?!

With a frown she grabbed her glass again, and took another sip.

"I know you too well." Marco said, leaning closer to her over the table. "I know it's not the job. It's him, isn't it? That John Myers."

Margot wanted to deny, but decided not to. "Fine, it's him. But I don't want to talk about it."

"I saw how you threw him to the wall, just for trying to put a hand on your shoulder." he noted. "What made you lose your temper with him?"

Margot was silent for a while, sipping her beverage. She remembered all too well, how it had felt. The hot fear, born in her heart, the agony that had lashed out as rage.

It was still there, always there in the back of her mind, dormant.

But that wasn't what Marco wanted to know, and she knew it.

"I might have accidentally slept with him yesterday." she muttered, looking down.

"What?" Marco laughed. "How do you accidentally sleep with someone?"

"You _know_ how." Margot gave her a look. "And I said I don't want to talk about it."

"Fine." he said, meeting her eyes. "But I'm gonna still say this: he seems like a nice guy. Why won't you give him a chance? You deserve some happiness, you know."

"You talk too much." said Margot, turning her gaze. "All guys do. Come on, I want to dance!"

But just as she was about to stand up, Marco's cellphone, that was on the table between them, began to ring.

"Oh come on, don't answer it!" Margot pleaded, but in vain.

"It could be work." he said. "Better take it."

But as soon as he took the call, Margot knew it wasn't work. He had this puzzled look on his face, and then his eyes wandered to her face.

"Yes, she's here." he said then, in English. "Who did you say you were?"

"It's Kat Wagner." Margot snapped and rolled her eyes. "Give me the damn phone."

"Margot, what the Hell are you doing, avoiding my calls?"

Great, straight to business. Just what she _didn't_ need.

"Trying to have good time at a club?" Margot replied, walking towards the door. The music and the noise of people chattering, soon quieted down, as she stepped outside.

"Yeah, clearly. I've been trying to call you for like a thousand times. What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing's wrong with me. I'm perfectly fine." Margot rolled her eyes.

"Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about, Margot. You're breaking my friend!"

"Oh, Myers?" Margot tried to sound indifferent, even if she felt a twinge of guilt in her heart "I didn't know he was your friend, and I'm hardly breaking him. He's tougher than he looks."

"No he isn't! He's every bit as sweet and soft as he seems, and you know it."

Damn it, she hated it when Kat was right. It always made her annoyed.

"God, can't you see that's exactly the point?" Margot snapped.

"You're not making any sense, Margot. Please, explain."

Margot was silent for a short moment, trying to decide how honest she should be. Yes, Kat was her best friend, but she was Myers' friend too. If she told her what she _really_ felt, Myers would no doubt hear about it.

"The problem isn't that I don't like him." Margot settled for something close enough to the truth. "It's that I like him too much."

"I really don't see what's the problem there. He's single, and so are you - to my knowledge."

"He's a good guy, Kat." Margot said. "I should think about his heart."

"It's a bit too late for that."

"What do you mean?" Margot had the worst feeling about this. "Have you talked to him?"

"Yeah. And he says, he's falling in love with you. So whatever you plan to do about his heart, you should be more careful."

Margot cursed in her mind. Damn, she should've known this. This bode her no well.

"He'll be going back to US in a few days, and he'll never see me again. He'll get over me, I know it."

"That's just stupid." Kat replied, honest as ever.

"Yeah, but it's also true. I can't give him what he needs."

"Then what about giving him what he _wants_?" Kat suggested.

"That'll just make our problems far worse. The best thing I can do for him, is to stay as far away from him as possible."

"But-" Kat tried, but Margot had had enough.

"Enough already, Kat. I know what I'm doing."

"You never know what you're doing!" Kat exclaimed, but Margot finished the call, and closed the phone.

She walked back in, stuffed the phone in Marco's hand and stated: "Now, let's dance."


	8. Part I: She's like heroin

**Part I: Bored to Death**

 **Chapter: She's like heroin**

* * *

Myers woke up to the sound of someone banging the door.

He was awake in a heartbeat, and the gun on his hand in another.

"Who is it?"

"It's me John." A faint voice replied. "Let me in."

Margot. He's heart skipped a beat.

He got off the bed, and went to open the door. It wasn't until he'd let Margot in, that he realized he was wearing a pair of Mickey Mouse boxers, and nothing else.

"Damn, you're cute." Margot giggled, eyeing him from head to toe. "Mickey Mouse, huh?"

"You're drunk." he noted. She was wearing a pair of incredibly tight, black leather pants, super high heels and a latex top, with matching gloves that reached her elbows. Her makeup was smudged, her hair moist as if she'd been sweating, and there was a distinctive smell of alcohol in the air around her.

"Juuust a little bit." she winked. "Don't let it bother you."

"It's 2 o'clock in the morning." He stated, rubbing his eyes. "Not that I'm not glad to see you, but… what are you doing here?"

She seemed suddenly serious. "I came to see if you're alright. I hurt you."

"Yeah, you threw me to a wall." he suddenly remembered, with his tired brain. "But it's fine. I'm fine."

"You sure?" she asked, and something in her voice felt warm, like she really cared. "Let me see your head."

Myers felt his cheeks blushing. There was something about the way she was looking at him, that made him suddenly super self conscious.

"There's nothing to be seen, just a little bump. I'm fine, truly."

"Good." she nodded. "I'm sorry. I-"

"Don't be. I was being an ass." he shrugged. "I seem to be good at that lately."

"No, John. Listen-" she shook her head slightly. "There's nothing wrong with you. It's me. I'm a mess, John. I'm a freak. I'm no good for you."

As she spoke, she had walked closer to him, as if there was a magnet pulling her, an invisible force that she couldn't resist. She was standing oh, so close to him right now, and feeling her warmth on the skin of his bare chest, he couldn't help but to think about kissing her.

"How about you let me make my mind about that."

"No, really." Margot shook her head. "You don't know me well enough to say that."

"Then let me get to know you." he pleaded, almost begging now.

"No. It's never gonna work."

She seemed resolute, but suddenly Myers had this strangest feeling, that she wasn't trying to convince _him_. She was trying to convince herself. For what reason, he didn't know, but it gave him a new burst of hope.

"That's bullshit, Margot." He stated, on a firm voice. "I've never felt like this about anyone before. It's like I'm _burning_. Gods, I want you so much, and I know - I just _know,_ that you want me too. Why can't you admit it?"

"I want you too." she breathed. "There? You feel better now? It's not gonna make any difference though."

"Why not?" he was standing very close to her now. The scent of her sweaty skin, of her perfume and alcohol was on him, and that was enough to make him aroused. "I want to kiss you, Margot."

"Damn, I shouldn't have come." she breathed.

"I'm glad that you did." he raised his hand to her hair, to feel her moist, soft curls, and pulled off the hair band. Her hair fell to her shoulders and his hands, making him gasp. He buried his fingers into her curls, and pulled her closer, bent to meet her lips with his, and was swept into her mind once more.

She surrender to his kiss, her body bending against his. Myers' arms were around her waist in a heartbeat.

 _Gods, it felt so good!_

Myers moaned into her mouth, her lips opened to him and she inhaled the sound he made. Her mouth soft and hungry, and her mind was a deep ocean of secrets. He felt being pulled under the surface with a current he could not resist.

But just as fast as the kiss had begun, she broke it. Her eyes were dark, her pupils dilated, as she stepped backwards.

"Gods, John… I'm _not_ going to sleep with you again." she said, shaking her head.

"Why not?" he didn't bother to try and deny it had been his hope.

"'Cause it isn't right."

"It feels damn right to me."

There was a dark tone to her fair voice, as she replied: "That's just because you know nothing."

"I know that you want me. I might not be telepathic, but I'm not blind or stupid."

"Yeah, I know you're not stupid." she whispered. "That's part of the problem."

"You lost me there." he murmured, running his fingers through her curls. "Could you spell that out for me?"

"I should leave." she breathed. Her pupils were huge and dark, and her cheeks were burning.

"Don't." He pulled her closer. The sensation of electricity surrounding her made the hair on the back of his head stand up. "I want to kiss you. I want to feel your hands on my skin, your thoughts on mine, your lips on my mouth-"

"I'm going to Hell for this." she exhaled, but could not help it. She let Myers pull her closer for a kiss, that shoot stars into his mind and left them both breathless.

A need was burning in him. A need so agonizing and all consuming, that it made his hands shake as he grabbed her and pulled her tiny form against his bare chest. Her kiss tasted of alcohol and salt, and the taste of her made his blood boil. Her hands on his neck sent jolts, like electric shocks to his spine, and he couldn't _think_ anymore, he could just _feel,_ and all he felt was her, and the need to have her filled his essence.

The kiss was long and deep and raw. Her petite form clang to his chest, her sweaty skin shivered under his touch, and her lips opened, demanding for his tongue to enter - as she wanted for him to enter every part of her body.

Myers moved his fingers to her top, cupping her breasts, trying to open the zipper, but Margot sent a thought to his mind.

" _Don't."_ she broke the kiss, and their contact. A flash of pain ripped Myers' chest, as he felt their minds separating. But she just stopped for long enough to remove her gloves, and then placed her small hands on his chest, walking him backwards across the room, so that his back met the wall. And then her lips were on his again.

"Christ!" Myers groaned into her mouth, as he felt her fingers on the waistband of his boxers. He was so damn hard already, that it almost hurt, his erection throbbing and pulsing with need. Her hands pulled down his underwear, and he felt her slender, cool fingers gripping him tight, sending an immense wave of pleasure through his core.

Damn, it had been just last night that he'd given her all he had, but already he felt like he'd burst any second.

"I've never wanted anyone this bad." he breathed, his voice raspy and thick in his throat.

"I know." she grinned, her hand beginning to move on his length, her fingers gripping him with just the right way, that he knew would make him come in no time.

"Margot, don't-"

"Don't what?" she gave him an seemingly innocent glance. "You want me to stop?"

And she did just that, letting go of his cock - leaving him groaning out of sheer desperation.

"I want to touch you too." he moaned, but she shook her head, teasingly.

"I'm in charge of this game, and that's not in my plans." she breathed and kissed him, biting his lower lip, suckling it into her mouth. And Myers felt his hands being pulled to the wall, as if they were glued, and he couldn't move them even if he tried.

"You're evil." he breathed, helpless. His erection was pulsing against his abdomen, begging to be touched, and Margot's fingers found it again. She pressed her palm on it's head, spreading the little droplets of pre cum, making it slick. She rubbed it gently, relentlessly, until he was a shivering mess in her hands, groaning out loud.

He read the images she sent to his mind - images of him, coming all over her, and it made him almost lose it.

"If you keep that up, I won't be able to control it." he rasped.

"Maybe that's just what I want." she gave him a shameless grin, beginning to pump him again, this time with a faster pace.

"Christ, Margot!" Myers groaned, closing his eyes, hitting the back of his head against the wall. His legs were shaking. Damn, that girl knew what she was doing!

And then she knelt before him, giving him a lustful look through her lashes.

"Ah, your cute Mickey Mouse boxers." she noted. "Let's lose them, shall we, Thad?"

With nothing but a wave of her hand, and one swift thought, she ripped his underwear apart and it fell to his feet. Her lips were on his balls on an instant, kissing and nibbling the sensitive skin - her tongue tracing small circles on the underside of his cock. A deep, animal growl escaped Myers' lips, and Margot pulled back again.

"Margot, I-" he panted.

"You want me to continue?" she raised an eyebrow. "Where are your manners? Say please."

"Please." his voice felt hot in his throat. His heart was trying to beat it's way out of his chest.

"Say it all." she commanded, her fingers slowly, agonizingly sliding on his manhood.

"Say what?"

"What do you want for me to do?" her tone was teasing, as provocative as her looks right now.

Damn, it felt so wrong to say it to her, but he knew he had no choice but to obey.

"I want you to suck it." he growled.

"And how do you want me to suck it, dearest?" she kept torturing him - her fingers aimlessly running up and down his length, following the pulsing veins on it's underside. Her lips, that were painted blood red, were so close to it's head that he felt the air she breathed on it.

"You know how!" his voice was a desperate plea.

" _Hard."_ her voice echoed in his mind. " _You want me to suck it hard, right Thad?"_

"Oh, God yes." he moaned, as she rewarded him by doing just that, sucking his dick deep in her mouth.

He made a moan of pure pleasure. His cock was large and thick, and her mouth was so small and sweet on it, so wet and warm. And she knew how to suck like a pro, taking it deep, all to way to her throat, her fingers relentlessly pumping him at the same time.

"Release my hands…!" he pleaded, and for once she did as she was told. Myers felt his hands being freed from the wall, and he brought them to her hair, buried his fingers in her curls. He didn't grip her hard though, just kept his hands on her, to feel the movement of her head as his shaft sunk deep between her pretty lips.

He'd lost this battle, he knew. There was no fighting what was about to happen.

With a loud growl he shot his load deep into her mouth.

* * *

"I owed you one." Margot said, standing up, wiping her mouth to the back of her hand. "Last night you gave me three, and I only gave you two. Now we're even."

"Even?" Myers had hard time believing his ears. "You talk like this is some kind of a game."

"Well, isn't it?" she seemed indifferent. "I thought you knew that. 'This' is all I'm ever going to be able to give you."

"I'm kinda liking 'this', whatever it is." Myers said with a small laugh. "I don't mind if we keep the game on."

"Oh, John, you're a lousy liar." Margot stated with a sigh. "I know you want more. You need love."

"You say that like it's something horrible."

"It isn't. I'm just not built for that."

"And I don't believe you." Myers stated, suddenly sure of himself. "I've felt your soul, and there is more to it, than just dirty talk and kinky sexgames - not that I mind those."

She laughed. "God, if you think this was kinky, you're even more vanilla than I thought."

"And I have a feeling that's just what you like about me."

Margot gave him a look, her eyes wandering to his bare abdomen - and downwards.

"Could you put something on? That's a bit distracting." she stated.

"You destroyed my underwear." he shrugged. "Blame yourself."

"You only have one pair?" she raised an eyebrow. "That's disgusting."

Myers didn't care. He leaned his back on the wall, showing off his gorgeous nakedness, fully aware of the effect it had on her. He was no ladies man, but he had a pretty solid hunch, that girls didn't do things like she'd just done, to guys they didn't like.

"It's not too late to change your mind about not sleeping with me." He gave her a sinful grin. "I'm good to go again soon enough."

"I'm not changing my mind." Margot snapped, and gave him an annoyed look. "Besides, this game is beginning to get a bit boring for me. We're even now, so let's leave it at that."

"Yeah." Myers said, with a laugh. "You see, I don't believe you. I know you'll be back for more."

"So sure about yourself, loverboy?" she snapped, and there was a storm in her eyes. "Well, in your wet dreams, Myers. Goodbye!"

And with that she left him, standing naked and alone in his room, still feeling her fingerprints in every part of his soul.


	9. Part I: The best day of my life

**Part I: Bored to Death**

 **Chapter: The Best Day of my Life**

* * *

Margot woke up to the worst moral hangover of her life.

 _Oh crap. Oh Hell. Oh, fuck!_

What had she done?!

She moaned desperately, and sat up. Myers' strong, salty taste was still on her lips.

She shambled to the bathroom and took a look at the mirror.

A pale face, traces of makeup, hair a total mess - a huge cloud of red curls around her head.

 _Freak._ said her inner voice. _He'll never really love you._

"Shut up." she replied, and picked up her toothbrush.

 _What's wrong with you? Can't you control your urges, slut?_ the voice in the back of her head kept nagging, while she brushed her teeth. _It's one thing to fool around with a vampire or other dark creature, but to destroy a good man's heart for nothing but a moment's pleasure - that's evil._

Margot did her best not to listen, but she knew it was all true.

Myers was a good man. An honest man, a decent, normal human being, pure of heart. Everything she'd never be, she knew.

And that's precisely why she wanted him so bad.

 _Why do you always want what you can't have?_ _Grow up!_ the image in the mirror mocked her, all through her morning routines, until she finally silenced her, by leaving the bathroom.

A day full of work - world to save, monsters to kill. This day was going to be awesome, she new, and there was no way she'd let her low self-esteem issues ruin that.

Tomorrow Myers would go back to US, and she'd never have to see him again.

But instead of giving her joy, that thought filled her heart with despair, darker than night.

* * *

The breakfast was agony.

When Margot got to the cafeteria, Myers was already there - sharing a table with Marco and Thomasson. They were chatting amicably, which made Margot immediately suspicious. What had Marco said to her yesterday - that Myers was a good guy, and she should give him a chance? She couldn't shake the feeling that those two had been talking about her, and she didn't like it a bit.

Although, she thought to herself, she probably should've been happy that the jealousy thing was apparently dealt with. The last thing she needed now, were two of her team members fighting over her.

She poured herself a huge cup of coffee, and reluctantly joined her team. What choice did she have? They were going to work together on a tricky mission today, it wasn't like she could ignore them, no matter her messed up lovelife.

But damn, it was hard.

Myers was so goddamn perfect.

Margot couldn't help but to look at his delicate, long fingers as he picked up his coffee mug. She remembered all too well how they felt on her skin. And those lips of his - God, that guy knew how to use them! Just the memory of them on her mouth, made her aroused, shifting uncomfortably on her seat. Not to mention the memory of his kisses on the other parts of her body… Christ, she longed to feel them again, no matter how hard she tried to deny it.

" _It's not real."_ she had to remind herself. " _None of it's real. He'll forget you the second he leaves you, and you know it."_

After the good mornings, bonjours and how-did-you-sleep smalltalk, she took a sip of her coffee, trying to calm her restless heart. But it did her no good.

Myers was sitting across the table, looking straight at her, and something in his eyes made her lose her balance. Even without reading his mind, she knew just what he was thinking.

She read it from his tense posture, from the slight blush on his cheeks. That he was thinking about last night too.

God, he had the most beautiful eyes. Blue, with just a hint of gray and green, and the look of them took her breath away. She wanted him so bad that she was sure she'd burst if he didn't touch her right now. And by the look in his eyes, she guessed it was a mutual desire.

She'd gone too far with him.

Last night had been playing with fire, and now she was burning.

 _Suits you right_. Her inner voice mocked. _Now pay for what you've done._

It would be so easy just to wipe every memory of her from his mind. Or at least every memory of the things they've done… But it was too late for that now. Hellboy knew what had happened, and so did Kat and Marco. Margot could hardly wipe all their minds, could she now? Doing something like that would create an endless labyrinth of lies she wasn't really prepared to deal with.

She'd have to take care of this the old fashioned way. By staying away from Myers. By making him think, she didn't care.

That all would've been so much easier, though, if she hadn't screwed up last night.

* * *

The day was full of work, and Margot buried herself in it, with all her drive.

It wasn't until late afternoon, that all the official stuff was done - the plan for tonight operation was ready and everyone knew what they were supposed to do - so all that was left was the packing of necessary equipment.

Margot was at the armory with Marco, stuffing all kinds of guns and their ammo to big black bags, when she suddenly noticed someone was at the door.

She looked up from the tommy gun she'd been holding.

Myers.

"You mind if I borrow her for a while?" he said to Marco, with a small smile.

Marco glanced from Myers to Margot, and replied to her in Czech: "So, are you talking to him now?"

"Yes, I guess I am." she replied, also in Czech. "It's fine - we have work to discuss."

"You promise to behave?" Marco raised an eyebrow. "No throwing nice guys to the walls today?"

Margot rolled her eyes. "What are you now, my Dad? Don't patronize me, Marco. You know, I hate it."

Marco gave a small laugh, and walked to the door, passing Myers on the doorway. "All yours." he said with a wink. "Just don't make her cry this time, John."

And then it was just the two of them.

Margot felt her cheeks blushing, as Myers walked in, and closed the door.

"Is this a bad moment?" he asked.

She shook her head, and busied herself checking that the gun she'd picked before, was in good condition. Nothing sucked like a malfunctioning gun on a mission.

"No, it's fine. How can I help? You picked your guns already?"

"I have a few pistols, and enough ammo, thanks. I think that'll be enough."

"Yeah." she replied, still not looking at him. "I'm not expecting for a big fight. But better to go in prepared, right?"

Myers had walked to the table, where Margot was packing her stuff, and was now standing quite close to her. Close enough to make her feel uncomfortable, so she took a step further.

She looked up to him for the first time, and his good looks took her breath away.

Damn, those eyes! Margot cleared her throat. The perfect puppy eyes. She knew she'd do anything, if he just asked, looking at her the right way.

Like he had last night.

Margot blushed - she remembered all too well the raspy tone of his thick voice, when he'd said 'Please…!' to her. The things he'd made her do!

Margot couldn't help but to notice how handsome Myers looked - wearing combat gear already, a pair of black pants and boots, a turtle neck sweater of dark blue, that matched the colour of his eyes. Without his usual dark suit on, he looked a little boyish, more innocent, and Margot's heart skipped a beat.

"Margot, we need to talk." he said with a soft voice, that sent shivers to her spine.

"No we don't." she turned her gaze to the guns again, as if trying to pick another one.

"So, about last night-"

Margot sighed and rolled her eyes. "Not about that, please! It was a huge, _huge_ mis-"

"Mistake?" Myers made a soft laugh. "No it wasn't. One time can be a mistake, but two times on following nights? I don't think so."

Margot didn't reply.

She knew she should argue - to lie to him, to tell him that what they'd done had meant nothing to her. But somehow she couldn't make herself to do that. There was something so honest, so pure about him standing there, looking at her with nothing but love and trust in his gorgeous eyes, that she felt her resolution shattering.

She couldn't make herself to say the necessary words to brake his hope and his heart.

"Margot, I-" he began again.

"John, please." her voice was nothing but a faint plea. "Please, don't say it."

"I must. You see…" he paused for a few heartbeats, as if searching for words. "I like you. I like you a _lot,_ more than I've liked anyone in a very long time - or ever, actually. And… I don't know why you're pushing me away. But it's okay. I mean… I want you to know, that I'm not going to be a 'drooling idiot who can't keep his shit together', as you put it-"

"John, I'm really sorry about that." she breathed, blushing.

"Don't be." he shook his head, with a smile. "It's fine. What I'm trying to say is that, I really like you, but I'm not going to push you about it now. We have a tricky mission in front of us today, and I want you to know, that you can trust me. I will be there to cover your back, and I promise you don't have to worry about me messing it up. I will be focused. I know my stuff."

Margot had turned her back at him, and was restlessly fidgeting some ammo on her fingers, but it hardly helped her. Her heart was racing in her chest, and there was definitely something in her throat, for she felt her voice almost failing as she replied.

"Thank you, John. I really appreciate it."

She turned to face him, but couldn't meet his eyes.

She knew she'd fall if she did, and she was too scared to take the leap.

"But, Margot..." Myers said after a short pause.

"Yes?"

"Tomorrow, when this mission is over, when we've once again saved the world-" a small laughter, a small smile on his beautiful lips, "I will take you out for a dinner."

Margot gulped.

"A dinner?" she asked, nervous. "Like a date?"

"You can call it what you want, and you can even pick the place if you wish to. Coffee or food, it doesn't matter. And we'll talk this through. Okay?"

Margot didn't find one pointy thing to throw at him, not one sassy reply. She just nodded, sure that her burning cheeks betrayed her emotion.

"Alright." she said. "We'll talk. But I'm not promising anything else."

Myers gave her a gentle smile. "Hey, that's all I'm asking. No pressure."

She watched him walk away from her, out of the room, and it wasn't until he was gone that she could finally breath.

 _Damn,_ she cursed in her mind.

 _Heaven help me. I'm falling in love with him._

The thought filled her with a freezing fear, an overwhelming panic, like nothing before, and she wrapped her arms around her body to stop shivering.

In silence she finished packing.

There was always the hope that she'd get killed tonight.

That it was indeed Iku-Turso, and he'd eat her alive.

At least then she'd have a good and solid reason to skip the date with Myers.

* * *

As soon as the night fell, the team was packed up in a large van, driving outside the city.

There were six people in the team: Margot, Myers and Hellboy, Marco Dornak, Erik Thomasson (who'd come from Brussels with them) and a female Czech agent called Jolana Babik, who was Marco's partner - and a medic.

Margot went through the plans once more, so that everyone heard.

"So, there is this evil cult who's been kidnapping people and drained them from blood to open a portal to another dimension. The usual stuff." she shrugged.

She'd seen this a few times before, even if she was more familiar with vampires, ghosts and other spirits, but then again - it was nice to deal with something a bit different. At least her job wasn't boring anymore.

"Agent Myers from BPRD has been kind enough to share his intel with us, and we've now been able to locate the cult leader, and it is probable that he's been using this place to do his stuff. So we go in tonight, for it's full moon, and thus a perfect opportunity for him to try and open the portal again. If we're lucky, we get him before he manages to do that, and tadaaa - the world is saved."

"Or at least the local people." added Marco. "No one's going to be eaten alive after tonight."

"So, what kind of monsters are we prepared to deal with?" asked Agent Babik. "Has the leader brought some demons to this world, or hellhounds, or-"

"We don't know." replied Myers. "We have no clear picture of what's come through that portal before, but the half eaten bodies found on the area, would indicate that _something's_ been coming through."

"Nice." noted Hellboy, lighting his cigar. "Leave those to me."

"That's the plan." said Margot. "Since you prefer to work alone, you go in from the back door. I'll break the lock for you." Margot pointed her finger at paper that held the ground plan of an old mansion. "Go through these two rooms, and take the stairs up. If I'm right, that's where you'll find the portal room. Do what you must to close the thing, if it's already open, and destroy whatever's come through."

"Sure, boss." Red noted.

 _Damn, it felt really nice to be called 'boss'._ The thought flashed through her mind. _One could get used to this._

"The rest of us split up to two teams." she continued. "Myers and Marco, you're with me - Babik, Thomasson, you wait in the car in case we need back up. The team Eminem - that's us- (Margot made a small laugh to her own joke), enters from the main door. We take care of the cultists, the human guards, who ever we happen to meet, to ensure that Red get's his stuff done. We are the diversion, in other words."

Margot let her stern glance stop at everyone's face, but no one spoke up.

She knew the plan was fine - they'd worked it up together with Myers, and she was happy with it.

"And the humans?" Marco asked. "What do we do with them?"

"We capture them." Margot stated. "Alive if possible, if not-" she shrugged. "- then not. They've been helping the evil cult leader to skin people alive, so I'd say they've been asking for it."

She rolled up the ground plan, and stuffed it into her backpack.

"So, we should be there soon." she said with a cheerful voice. "Monsters to kill, world to save and so on. If we all get out alive, I'll buy you a round in a pub. Godspeed, comrades."

"Godspeed." Myers replied, and gave her a small, suportive smile. Margot couldn't help but to answer it. The adrenalin, the expectation of the coming fight, made her heart race and her cheeks blush.

This was going to be a good night, after all. If not even the best night of her life.

At first it all went well.

No one noticed as they approached the old mansion, that seemed pretty much deserted. Margot opened the doors with her mind, and everyone stepped in silently as only trained agents could. Hellboy went his own way, Margot led her team inside.

But then the troubles began.

She had gotten used to use her telepathy as a sixth sense - relying on it sometimes more than on her other senses, and yeah, it was a handy way to scan places for people. But as soon as she'd stepped inside the house, she knew something was wrong.

A weird pain flashed through her head, and she winced.

Myers stopped immediately, and gave her a concerned look.

"What is it?" he asked with a low voice.

"I dunno." Margot whispered. "It's weird… like something's blocking me? Damn, it must be the portal!"

"You mean, you can't see if there is anyone expecting us?" asked Marco behind her back.

"Yeah." Margot nodded. "It would seem my power is off for the moment. It's gonna make this a bit more challenging. We're practically going in blind."

"Alright." Myers said with a nod. "Let's do this the old fashioned way. I'm going first."

"Fine." she gave it a go. "I'll be right behind you."

They got through a few rooms without seeing anyone. The house seemed completely empty, but Margot knew it wasn't the case. She sensed they weren't alone, but couldn't see through the fog that had descended on her thoughts. It made her more worried than she wanted to admit.

"Red, you in?" she breathed to her comlink, just to chec.

"Heading upstairs. Haven't seen anyone yet." his voice sounded normal. "You sure this is the place, boss?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. Be careful, we're not alone."

"Red out." he cut off, and they were alone and silent in a dark corridor again.

"I have a bad feeling about this." she breathed.

Myers gave a soft laugh. "You quoting Star Wars?"

"There's always a right time for that."

"Shut up, you lovebirds." noted Marco. "We take the corridor to the left?"

Margot kept her voice low: "Yeah, that should take us to-"

But just then a figure stepped into the view, a man holding a big submachine gun, and in an instant the air was full of bullets, the sound of the gun ripping through Margot's ears.

She screamed, in her mind, or out loud, she couldn't have said.

Before she had time to think, she reacted - in desperation reaching for what little there was left of her powers. She waved her hand, and stopped the bullets mid air, ripped the gun from the man's hands with her mind, and threw it to the floor - but it all came too late for Myers.

With a shock Margot realized, that some of the bullets she'd stopped, had went through his body.

Myers gasped, as if surprised, tried to reach the wall, to lean to it - and fell heavy to the floor.

"No!" Margot exhaled. "No, damn it, no! Not on my watch!"

The rage woke up in her.

It was like a torch, that had been lit by the sight of Myers being hit, and now she was burning.

All that had been clouded just moments before, was now clear. There was no hesitation in her, nothing but her power, her almighty rage that burned like white flame in her mind, and it would burn this place clean.

With nothing but a wave of her hand, she threw the guard who'd shot Myers, to the wall. She didn't even hear his cry of pain and panic, as she mentally grabbed his head, feeling the crack of his neck breaking. She let the body fall to the floor, to find the others.

She could feel them now, as if there was nothing blocking her. All the humans in the building, like lights in the darkness, their petty little souls little candle flames she could blow off at her will.

It took only half of a second to grab them all, all the enemies, all the people who had hurt John. The guards, the leader, the cult followers - Margot didn't care to sort them. She reached for their hearts, and ripped them out of their chests with nothing but one thought, decorating the walls with their blood.

The lives she had just taken, felt heavy on her soul, like a cloud of darkness, but she pushed it away, in the farthest corner of her mind.

It didn't matter. Their lives meant nothing.

All that mattered, was this moment, the horrible, agonizing fear that filled her soul now that she turned her eyes to Myers.

He was lying on the floor, in a pool of blood - his blood, Marco by his side. And Margot didn't need to read his mind to know, that he was dying.

She was by his side, on her knees, in a heartbeat.

 _God, there was so much blood!_

Margot's hands were shaking, as she grabbed Myers' shoulders. Where had he been hit? Everywhere? His jacket was soaked with dark, sticky liquid, that stained her gloves, he was spitting blood and coughing, as if he was choking.

"John, don't try to speak." she breathed. "I'm right here. You're gonna be fine."

But the look in his eyes told her he knew she was lying.

There was blood on his pale face, on his lips, that were turning blue. He tried to raise his hand to touch her face, but couldn't. The hand fell limp by his side and he winced of pain.

"Margot-" he rasped, barely audible. "I-"

"Hush." she felt like choking too, and tears were burning in her eyes. "Don't."

"I love you." he gasped.

"No!" Margot exhaled. "Don't you dare to say that, don't you dare to say goodbye!"

But for once Myers didn't do as he was told.

His eyes closed, and Margot felt his heart stopping.


	10. Part I: Sweet darkness

**Part I: Bored to Death**

 **Chapter: Sweet Darkness**

* * *

A desperate, animal cry left Margot's lips, and echoed through the hallways of the old mansion.

She grabbed Myers' shoulders, and shook him almost violently, but he felt limp in her hands, there was no reaction.

He's dead. The thought filled her with fear and panic, unlike anything she'd ever experienced. He's dead, and it's my fault.

She didn't hear Marco's voice that called for medical aid through his link, nor did she hear Hellboy's voice on her own link, asking what the hell had happened as people had began exploding around him.

All there was, was Myers, dead in her arms, and Margot knew her own heart would never beat again, if she'd let this happen.

Her hands shaking, she pulled his head back, and pressed her lips on his, for cpr. She exhaled the air from her mouth to his (horrified by the fact, that she didn't feel his mind while touching), and then moved to compress his chest. With all her force she pushed, but she felt it did no good. There was not a spark of life in him, nothing she could grab onto.

"Help me!" she cried out, to Marco. "Help me to get this shit off him!"

She'd began to rip off Myers' blood soaked jacket, but it was clinging to him, and her hands were shaking. But just as Marco knelt back by her side, Margot exclaimed with frustration, and felt her anger stirring again - she let her powers rip off Myers' jacket, his shirt and his bulletproof vest, they disintegrated into shrapnels, and revealed his naked, bloodied chest to her view.

Without hesitation, she pressed her palms to his chest, and closed her eyes.

How long was it, that brain can survive without major damage, when heart is stopped? 2 minutes? Less? Margot began panicking. How long had it been since his last breath?

Concentrate! she told herself. It's just matter, nothing more. Your mind over matter, a piece of cake.

She looked deep inside of him, found his heart in her mind - dead still, without any movement.

Margot reached to it, surrounded it mentally with her hands, massaged it as firmly as she could.

Beat! Come on, beat. You can do it, heart. Don't do this to me, John! Come on, heart cells, I'm commanding you, beat, beat, come on damn it, start beating, move, beat-

And just then she felt it - his heart moved in her grasp.

First just one, faint beat - but then another one, and another. Myers gasped for air, and Margot opened her eyes.

"Christ!" cursed Marco. "What did you do?"

"Not enough." Margot breathed. "I'm going back in. You make sure he doesn't stop breathing again!"

And Marco did as he was told, pressing his lips on Myers's mouth exhaling some extra air into his lungs.

Margot's hands were back on Myers' chest, and she closed her eyes again. Sweat was dripping on her forehead, but she hardly noticed.

Follow the bullet holes, go deep. See what is broken, and fix it. Block the holes, make the blood clot. They're just cells, nothing more. This isn't John who's dying. This isn't real, this is just a game, just a thrill. I'm just moving some very small particles wiht my mind, nothing more.

Margot kept talking to herself through it all. Making herself believe she could do something she'd never done before - messing with real, living cells.

But the cells obeyed her command. They moved where she wished, they blocked the holes in his arteries, they clotted, forming plugs on the walls of the broken veins and epithelial tissues. And little by little she felt, how the bleeding - if didn't stop, at least diminished considerably.

But she wasn't done yet.

Thank God, for the bulletproof vest - she thought. It had managed to stop most of the bullets aimed for his core - the only ones that had gone through him, had hit him in the right shoulder and arm, lower abdomen and his left thigh. But the bullet that had entered near his collarbone, had taken a turn and shattered some of his ribs, and made all kinds of mess.

Margot didn't dare even to breath, as she plugged out pieces of bone from Myers' lungs. She felt his heartbeat racing, getting uneven, almost stopping - but she kept on.

Take the blood out of his lungs, remove the bone, the blood, all that mess. Fix it. Fix the holes. Where are you, platelets? Come and clot, fix those damn holes, make it airproof. Breath, John, breath. I'm taking care of it. You're not going to die, not on my watch, not in my hands. Breath. Breath. Breath.

She didn't know how long it took. Time had no longer any meaning for her.

She had always been here, always in this moment. Her hands on his skin, her mind inside of his body, her muscles aching, sweat running on her face and her neck, stained with blood that was dripping from her nose.

But finally, after an eternity, she could let go.

She felt how his heart beat, steady and strong. And he was breathing. Uneven and shallow, but nevertheless, Margot knew he wouldn't die.

She fell to the floor, suddenly limp and powerless.

Too much. I gave too much.

But the thought brought her no sorrow.

Let this be the one thing, the one good thing I've done in my life. Let John live.

Marco bent over her, grabbing her by the shoulders, shouting her name, but it felt like it was happening to someone else. His voice echoed from far, far away, and Margot felt floating. She felt light, like a bubble in the air, and she was flying.

She felt the darkness coming for her, her eyes closing. Sweet, sweet darkness, that would cradle her from this day to eternity.

She'd never be afraid again.


	11. Part I: Bad dreams

**Part I: Bored to Death**

 **Chapter: Bad Dreams**

* * *

Margot dreamt of a hospital.

It was the same dream, always the same, that had haunted her for eleven years now.

She was tied to a hospital bed, her hands and arms on her sides, so that she couldn't move. She felt nauseous, groggy and sleepy, her head was like a water balloon, filled with some heavy liquid.

 _They drugged me. Why did they drug me?_

She tried to sit up, forgetting her bonds, but they held tight, and she couldn't.

She was just 14 years old, just a little girl, and she was scared.

"Mom!" she cried out. "Mom! Help me!"

Her voice echoed in the empty room, but there was no reply. The door on the other wall stayed shut, no one came.

Tears began to run down her face, and she started sobbing.

"I didn't mean it." she whispered. "It was an accident, I'm sorry! Please, Mom!"

It took a long time before she heard the door opening, and someone stepped in. She turned her tired, swollen eyes to the door.

"Mom…?"

But it was just a nurse, a young dark haired woman with a scared and nervous look on her face.

"You're awake." she said, apologetic. "I'll give you another dose."

"No!" Margot screamed. "No, please! I just want to go home! Please-"

"I'm sorry, but that is not possible." the nurse replied, beginning to prepare the injection.

Margot switched and turned on her bed, trying to fight herself free, but there was so little strength in her, that she couldn't. A desperate cry escaped her lips.

"Please…" she breathed. "I want to see my Mom."

The nurse turned her gaze to her face for the first time, and seemed to be truly sorry for her. But there was something else, something that made Margot's heart freeze.

She was afraid of her.

 _What have I become?_

"I'm sorry, child." the nurse said. "But you'll never see your mother again. She's given you up. You'll never go home now."

* * *

With that she woke up, as always.

" _You'll never go home."_

 _Well, fuck you,_ thought Margot. _I do what I want._

Her usual response to almost anything.

But then she remembered - there was nothing usual in this day. This was the day she should've died, but unless the afterlife existed, she was still alive. And she suspected there weren't haunting nightmares in the afterlife, nor itching nightgowns.

She sat up, gasping, just to realize, that she was indeed in a hospital bed, a cannula stuck to the back of her hand.

"Margot?" asked a familiar voice nearby. It was Marco, she noticed, sitting in a chair by her bed. "Hey, it's alright. You're safe."

Margot was breathing fast, her heartbeat rapid in her ears. Goddamned, she hated hospitals. With a swift thought she ripped the needle off her hand, and turned her eyes to Marco. He had dark shadows under his eyes, and his face was unshaved. He looked like he hadn't slept in a week.

Seeing his face, Margot suddenly felt scared.

"Is John…?" she was afraid to finish the sentence. "Is he-?"

"He's alive, thanks to you." Marco stated. "You fixed him. But that was a damn stupid thing to do, Margot. We almost lost you."

"I'm fine." she said, looking away from him.

 _John was alive. He was alive! He'd live to see another day_.

A relief so huge, it took her breath away, washed over Margot. It was almost enough to make her forget the other stuff - the black shadow of death, that rested heavily on her soul.

"How long was I out of it, anyways?" she asked, to get something else to think about.

"Two days. I was really worried. I thought you'd never wake up."

"Two days, huh?" she asked. "That long? So how is John?"

"Still unconscious." Marco's voice sounded worried, and it had a dark tone to it. "They've operated him two times now, probably will for a third too. I know you fixed him, but there was still a lot left for the surgeons to do. They say it's a miracle he survived."

Margot couldn't reply. She lay back down on her bed, and looked at the vase on her bedside table. Someone had brought flowers to her (she suspected it was Marco), a bouquet of pink and white carnations, but she hardly noticed them. Her mind was still on what had happened.

She remembered the feeling of holding John's heart, and it made her breathless.

"What I did was no more than first aid." she finally replied.

"It was a bit more than that. I had no idea you could do that kind of stuff."

"Neither did I." She shrugged. "But I'm no healer. It was a damn hard thing to do."

"It was a damn stupid thing to do too. It almost cost you your life." Marco leaned closer to her, his dark brown eyes worried and tired. "Why did you do it, Margot?"

"Is it not part of the job description? I was the team leader, I couldn't just let him die. We're like the musketeers, no? One for all and all for one."

"Don't try to turn this into a joke. I thought you died. I've never been as scared in my life, as when I carried you out of that place. I-" he stopped mid sentence, clearly too emotional to speak, and suddenly Margot felt bad for him.

Damn, why did he still care? She'd never get it. She knew well enough, there wasn't anything worth loving in her soul, but somehow she couldn't make the rest of the world to see that.

"Marco, I'm sorry." she breathed, placing her fingers gently on his arm. "I had to do it. He would've done the same for me."

"Yeah. Because he's in love with you."

Margot was silent for a few moments.

"And I'm in love with him."

God, it felt horrible to say it out loud. It felt like her heart was being ripped apart. Tears burnt her throat, and made her feel vulnerable - something she really hated.

"I thought as much." Marco replied, after a short pause. "And I can totally see why. He is a nice guy."

"Yeah." Margot tried to suppress her tears, but it came out a sob nevertheless. "But it makes no difference. Nothing can ever come out of it."

"Again with the stupid." noted Marco. "The guy worships you. Did you hit your head when you fell to the floor, or what's going on?"

"Marco, I-" Margot tried to begin. Damn it, why did he make her say this! "You of all people… you should know why I can never have him _._ "

"I know why you _think_ you can't have him, but that's just plain stupid. Just because we couldn't make it work, doesn't mean you're supposed to live without love for the rest of your life."

Margot gave him an annoyed look. "I've been awake for what, two minutes now, and you've called me stupid four times. I'm beginning to recall why we broke up."

"We broke up, because you got bored." Marco noted. "And it was like eight years ago, so it has absolutely nothing to do with what's going on. I'm just trying to talk some reason to you. I mean, are you really saying, that you saved the guy just to dump him?"

"What is this, the Spanish inquisition?" Margot snapped. "Enough with the questions. I want to see him."

Marco raised an eyebrow. "You sure you feel up to it?"

"Yes." she nodded, and forced herself to sit up again, even if her head was spinning. "And you can either help me, or get out of my way."

"As always." Marco rolled his eyes at her. "Come on, then."

He offered her a hand, and helped her to get up. Leaning heavily on his arm, Margot managed to stand up and walk out of her room.


	12. Part I: Goodbye

**Part I: Bored to Death**

 **Chapter: Goodbye**

* * *

Hellboy sat in a large armchair, in the corner of a small and plain hospital room, keeping an eye on Myers.

There was a monitor to observe his heart rate, sure, but Hellboy didn't really trust it was enough. Someone needed to be here, in case the kid woke up. Or something bad happened.

He wasn't still sure Myers would make it, no matter what the doctors said, so he kept watching over his friend. Even if it meant that he couldn't even smoke his cigar - damn the hospital regulations!

It had been two days now.

Hellboy took a look at Myers' face, but it only made him feel worse. The kid looked like shit. His skin was pale, his lips bluish and his eyes were surrounded by dark circles. There were several cannulas and monitors hooked up to him, and Hellboy didn't even want to know what they all did. The bottom line was, that Myers looked more dead than alive, and it hurt Hellboy more than he liked to admit.

Besides, it would suck big time to have to tell Kat, that Myers had died. It had been bad enough to make the call, that both Myers and Margot were injured and unconscious. Kat had gone mental, and it had took him half a night to convince her, it would do no good if she flew to Europe now.

"I'll tell you the moment either one of them wakes up, alright?" he had promised Kat. But still she kept calling him almost every hour, just to check if there was any change. Which there, of course, wasn't.

Hellboy had been buried deep in his thoughts, and was startled when the door suddenly opened. He stood up from his chair, to face the door.

"Margot!" he said, recognizing the petite figure, who stepped in. "Hey, you're up! Great! You sure scared us."

"Yeah? Sorry about that." Margot gave him a small smile, but it was obvious her heart wasn't in it. "Are you ok? Seem's like you've been hit by a truck."

"Nah, just a swarm of imps." Hellboy shrugged. "Nothing I haven't seen before."

"Nice. I can totally see why Kat likes you."

"Huh?" Hellboy blushed internally. "Say what?"

"Forget about it." Margot shook her head, turning her gaze to the figure on the bed. It wasn't until then that Hellboy noticed how weak she still seemed. She looked like she could topple over any second - her face was just as pale as Myers' and she seemed to be shaking slightly. She was only wearing a pink hospital gown, a robe and slippers, that were all too big for her, and she looked like a child who's got lost.

"So, how is he? Is he gonna be alright?" Margot asked then, her eyes still in Myers' face.

"In time." Hellboy shrugged. "But damn, it sucks to see him like this. I've gotten used to him."

Margot lay her hand carefully on Myers' shoulder and closed her eyes. She stayed still for a short moment, the only sound in the dim room, her light breathing, and the beeping of the heart monitor. When she finally opened her eyes, and turned them to Hellboy, there was a hint of relief in them.

"He's sleeping." Margot whispered. "I think he'll wake up soon enough."

 _Finally some good news!_

"That's great! He'll be thrilled to see you."

"No, Red." Margot looked suddenly scared, and took a step back, away from the bed. "I won't be here. I'm leaving."

"What?" he felt like he was missing something.

"It's better this way. Even better, if you'll never tell him that I was here at all. Or that I had anything to do with his recovery. Can you promise me that, Red?"

"What? No! That's just stu-"

"Stupid?" Margot smirked. "I get that a lot lately. But that's how it has to be. He must _never know_ , Red, and you will promise me not to tell, or I'll have to wipe it from your mind."

"Wow, there's a bargain." He raised an eyebrow at her. "Fine, have it your way. But if you ask me, you should just stick around and face him."

"Well, I'm not asking you." she snapped. "Nothing good would come out of it. I've messed his head enough already - it must end now."

There were red spots burning on Margot's cheeks now, and her voice was strained. What the hell was the reason for her stubbornness, he didn't know.

"Damn, the kid is in love with you! Why won't you give him a chance. You'd make a great couple."

"How can you say that?!" Margot looked at him, and she seemed truly horrified. "I can't do that to John. I am not _human._ "

"Neither am I."

"It's different. You have Kat, you're perfect together."

"True." said Hellboy shrugging. "But still-"

"Don't. Can't you see?" Margot's voice was thin and stretched, her hands shaking slightly. "Just look at him, Red. _This_ is where falling in love with me has brought him. Do you really think I'm good for him?"

"Him doing his job, is what got him here." Hellboy grunted. "Not you."

"He wanted to go in first." Margot's voice almost failed her. "It should've been me. I should've taken the bullets, not him. He went in first, because he wanted to keep me safe."

"Oh, that stupid kid." Hellboy took a look at Myers. "He's just like that."

"No, stupid me." Margot corrected. "The worst team leader in the history of mankind."

"Don't be like that. You saved him." Hellboy argued. "He would be dead without you."

"No, I put him on harms way. It was my fault." There was a haunted look in her eyes, a look that told Hellboy that no matter what he said, she wouldn't really hear him. She had made up her mind, and there was no changing it.

He began to think, it would've been better to let Kat come after all. She would know what to do, what to say. She'd make Margot see none of this was her fault, and she'd make sure, that little redhead wouldn't break John's heart for some stupid nonsense.

That was just what Hellboy liked in Kat. She was honest and upright. No stupid chick problems with her.

"Just hear me out." Hellboy tried again. "You see, Myers, he's a good kid. And he has the hots for you, bad time. You can't just leave him like this - it'll break him!"

"No, Red. You don't understand. You look at me, and you think I'm just a pretty girl. But you're mistaken. I'm no girl. I'm no human. I killed those people back there. I ripped their hearts out of their chests. And I did it just like that, like it meant nothing to me. I did it, because I could."

"They shot Myers, and they were going to shoot you too."

"There were other ways to stop them. It wouldn't have been necessary to kill."

"Well..." Hellboy found it really hard to argue with Margot. Damn, he knew she was right.

"What does that make me, Red? A murderer?" she asked, staring at him, her whole body tense and strained.

"It makes you a human."

She gave a bitter laugh. "No. You're more human than I'll ever be. I am a monster. I am a weapon. You should hunt me down and kill me while you can."

"Nonesense. Yeah, there might have been a better way to deal with the bad guys, but I totally see why you were pissed! The bastards shot Myers." He pointed a finger to his friend, as if to underline his words. "They had it coming."

But Margot didn't answer. She turned to look at Myers again, and there was something in the way she looked at him, that made Hellboy feel he needed to be somewhere else.

"You want some privacy?" he asked. "Not that he'll hear you, but-"

"No, it's fine." Margot said. "I won't stay long."

She finally sat down on a chair by his bed, and silently picked a pair of rubber gloves from a box on the table, and pulled them on. Only then, did she touch him, placing her hand gently on the side of his head, running her fingers through his dark hair.

"Thad…" she whispered. "I'm sorry. Please, forgive me."

With agony Hellboy watched, as Margot began to cry. Her delicate shoulders were shaking with her sobs, tears ran down her face and she did nothing to wipe them off. Her hand was still in his hair, light, barely touching him - not to cause him distress, Red reckoned.

Damn, Hellboy hated it when girls cried! What was a man to do in a situation like this?

If only Kat was here! She always knew how to handle things.

But it seemed Margot didn't even remember that he was in the room at all. She kept crying silently for a long time, not saying a word.

 _Now would be a really good time to wake up, kiddo._ Hellboy thought to himself. But no such luck. Myers stayed unconscious, and oblivious to the fact that the love of his life, was crying her eyes out for him.

But finally Margot ran out of tears, and she stopped sobbing. For some time still, she sat on the chair, seeing nothing but Myers. Her hand caressed his hair, followed the line of his unshaved jaw, brushed his lips ever so gently. The longing in her eyes cut right through Red's heart.

 _If that's not love I see, I don't know what is._ He thought to himself.

It did no good, though. Margot had made up her mind. With a sigh, she finally let go of Myers' and stood up.

She turned her piercing eyes to Hellboy, and said: "If he asks if I was here, lie. Tell him I left without even asking about him."

"Yeah, yeah." Hellboy grunted. "I'll try."

"Good." her eyes wandered to Myers one more time, but swiftly she turned away, turned her back to him and walked unsteadily to the door. "It was really good to meet you, Red. Please, give my love to Kat. Tell her… tell her I'll call her when I'm ready."

"And where are you gonna go?" Hellboy asked.

Margot, her pale fingers already on the door knob, turned to face him.

"To tell my Dad he was right."


	13. Part I: You know what killed me

**Part I: Bored to Death**

 **Chapter: You know what killed me**

* * *

The pain was an ocean of white fire, and he was floating in it.

It burnt, it ate him alive, and gripped him on its steel claws so that he couldn't breath. He tasted blood, iron on his lips, that were dry like sandpaper.

 _Where the hell am I? What happened?_

He tried to open his eyes, but only managed to gasp of pain.

"Myers?" a low voice from the darkness. "Are you awake?"

"Red." he rasped, barely audible, forcing his eyes open.

A hospital room, dimly lit. Heart rate monitor, infusion bags. Flowers on the nightstand, pink and white carnations.

"How are you feeling?" Hellboy asked, hurrying to his bedside.

The room was spinning - or was it him? Myers tried to suppress the waves of nausea that washed through his weary body, by closing his eyes again.

"Like hell." he breathed. "What happened?"

"What do you remember?"

The sound of the submachine gun on a dark hallway, the pain, the fear. Dying. He had died, he was sure of it.

And Margot's voice in the darkness, calling his name.

"I got… I got shot." he managed. "I died."

"Nah." Hellboy grunted. "You're still alive and kicking. It was a close call though."

Myers couldn't reply. It took all he had, to stay conscious. He felt like he was floating in the air, on top of flames that were made of pure pain and torture. It burnt, God, it burnt like Hell.

"Is everyone ok?" he finally managed to breath through his teeth.

"Yeah, don't worry about it kid." Hellboy replied. "You're the one who got hit."

"Margot?"

A silence.

Myers forced his aching eyes open again, and looked straight at Red. "Is she alright?"

Hellboy didn't meet his eyes, and winced. "Yeah, kid. She's fine."

"She was here."

Another silence, a longer one this time.

"I heard her." Myers croaked, through the pain. "She said she was sorry. Why would she say that?"

"Are you in pain?" Hellboy asked, clearly trying to change the subject, but Myers felt too horrible to care.

"Yeah." he gasped. "A lot, actually."

"Damn, kid. You should've said so." Hellboy gave him an angry glance. "I'll get the doctor."

Myers heard how Red left, hurrying to the hallway calling for a doctor, or a nurse. But he couldn't hold on. It was too much, just breathing was exhausting. He felt sinking again, under the waves of pain and agony, and let the sweet unconsciousness carry him away.

* * *

When Myers woke up again, he was feeling somewhat better. The pain was still there, but it wasn't an all consuming fire, it was more like a dull ache that made him groggy and nauseous.

He felt bad, but not like he was going to die - again.

He opened his eyes. The same hospital room - he noticed again the heart rate monitor, and the various infusion bags, plus the cannula stuck to the back of his hand. He had no idea what time it was, or even what day, but he was too tired to care.

There was a man sitting on a chair in the corner of the room, not Red though. A human. It took a moment for Myers' tired brains to recognize the man, who still hadn't noticed he was awake.

"Marco." he croaked, his lips dry and chapped.

"Christ, you're awake!" Marco was in his feet in a heartbeat.

Myers tried to raise his hand to reach for a glass of water, but realized he couldn't for his right arm was plastered.

"Let me." Marco said, and raised the glass on Myers' dry sandpaper lips, and he took a careful sip. The cool water felt blissful on his mouth.

"How am I alive?" he asked then, resting his head back on the pillow. "I remember… dying."

Marco gave him a quizzical look. "You did. Well, for a short moment. Your heart stopped, but we managed to revive you with CPR."

"We?"

"Margot and me." Marco replied. "And we got you here in time. They've operated you three times now, to fix all that was broken."

"Christ." Myers cursed. "I was hit bad."

"Yeah. But you're gonna be fine, in time."

Myers didn't reply.

So, his heart had stopped. He'd thought as much. He remembered the the excruciating pain in his chest, the feeling of falling, going under the black veil of death, the overwhelming weakness that had taken him.

And he remembered Margot's face, the desperate look in her eyes, when he had said " _I love you."_

"Where is she?" he asked now, turning his eyes back to Marco.

Marco frowned, clearly uncomfortable. "Yeah, about that-"

"What?" Suddenly Myers was afraid. "She's fine, right?"

"Sure." Marco replied, a bit too quickly. "It's just… she had to leave."

"Leave? But… when? How long was I unconscious?"

"It's been three days since you were shot. Margot left yesterday."

Myers closed his eyes, suddenly weary and tired.

He remembered her voice in the darkness, calling his name. Calling him back from the dead, and he had followed her voice, the one thing worth living for.

"She left?" he managed to whisper. "Did she… did she say anything?"

Marco shook his head, not meeting Myers' eyes. "No. I'm sorry."

"I need to talk to her." he finally replied. "Can I… is there a phone?"

"Hear me out now, John." Marco said, and suddenly his voice was stern, resolute. "She left. She didn't even ask how you were doing, just packed her stuff and went back to Brussels. She didn't want to see you. You should take the hint."

A pain, that had nothing to do with the fact he'd been shot, pierced through Myers' heart.

 _Fine, take the hint. You've been dumped._

"Right." he said, and turned his gaze away. There was something in his throat, tears burning behind his eyes.

 _Damn it, I'm not gonna cry. Not in front of this guy._

"I'm gonna get the doctor to check you, ok?" Marco said. "You might want another dose of painkillers soon."

Myers gave a small nod. "Yeah, sure. Thanks."

But he knew it would do no good. There were no painkillers to cure a broken heart, and his wasn't just broken. It was burnt to ashes.

* * *

Some 500 miles to west, Margot stood on her father's office, looking down at her feet, and every inch of her posture told Dr. Heinemann just how miserable she was feeling.

She was wearing ripped jeans, a hoodie (with a picture of Cthulhu in it) and gloves, her hands stuck deep into the pockets of her jeans. Her face was pale, almost white and there were dark shadows under her red rimmed eyes. She looked like she'd seen a ghost, which was of course a possibility - she saw them all the time. But Dr. Heinemann knew his daughter well enough to know, that it took more than just a ghost to scare her.

"What happened?" he asked, with a gentle voice.

"You read the report." Margot replied, not meeting his eyes. She was restlessly shifting from foot to foot, and her legs were trembling slightly.

"Yes, I read it. But I'm asking you, daughter. What happened?"

She was silent for a few moments, before she finally decided to sit down on a chair her father had pulled out for her.

"You were right." she said with a faint voice. "I shouldn't have gone."

"You lost your temper."

"Yeah."

"And people died." he stated.

Margot nodded, hiding her face behind her hair and the hood.

"But what's worse, I almost got John killed, too."

"Agent Myers?" Dr. Heinemann asked. "Marco says in his report, that you saved his life."

" _After_ almost getting him killed. So it doesn't really count." There was an edge to her voice, a sharp edge he knew well enough to know he shouldn't push her.

"He'll live." Dr. Heinemann replied. "And he'll recover from his injuries, that's all that matters now. It isn't your fault that he got hit."

"Dad, don't." Margot breathed. "I failed, I know it. You can't change what happen, by trying to be nice to me."

"Then tell me what happened."

"I did."

"Not everything." he replied. "There is something else, something you're not telling me."

Margot was silent for a long time, such a long time that her father was already beginning to suspect that she wouldn't answer at all.

It was painful to see her like this, though it wasn't the first time. For 11 years now, she had been his daughter, and he had seen her facing far worse things than taking 8 lives on a mission.

But he knew, there were just two moods in her. The overwhelming ADHD happy happy joy joy, and then this: dark depression. Most of the time both of them were present, the other one lurking just under the surface when the other dominated. But there had been times, when Margot had lost her will to live for months, and her father wished to God, it wouldn't come to that this time.

"What will happen to me now?" Margot finally broke the silence, and his worried thoughts.

"What would you want to happen?"

"They want me locked up again, don't they?" she looked up to his eyes, and he noticed the fear in them.

"It won't come to that."

"But I'm off the field."

Dr. Heinemann nodded. "Yes, for now. I know it's not what you want, but-"

"No, it's fine." Margot said, and stood up. "I know I'm not fit for work. In the matter of fact, I was going to ask you, if I could take some time off."

Dr. Heinemann took a concerned look of his only daughter.

There was definitely something weird going on. In all these years he'd known Margot she had never wanted to take time off. On the contrary - she had always buried herself, with all her spunk, in whatever she was doing. As Thomasson had said, she was their best agent, and it wasn't just because of her special abilities and her upbringing. It was the fact that she'd worked harder than anyone else, to achieve her goals. Perhaps it was the fact, that she knew there was no other place for her, no other occupation - she'd have to succeed in fighting the paranormal, for if she didn't, then what would there be for her?

Hearing her asking for a time off, felt surreal. It scared him more than he liked to admit.

"Why? What are you going to do?"

Margot turned to face him again. "I want to go home."

"To Hamburg?"

She nodded.

 _Well, that was a relief._

"Fine. But you'll have to see someone."

Margot frowned. "A shrink?"

"A counselor. It is the procedure." he stated. "You killed people, and almost lost one of your own agents. You need to help to process it."

"Fine." Margot shrugged. "Can I do it in Hamburg?"

"Sure. I'll arrange it."

He saw that Margot wasn't happy, but she didn't argue, which was just another sign to make him worried. It was a good thing though, that she wanted to go home. Their Hamburg home, their one and only permanent residence while moving from country to country for his work.

"Dad?" Margot asked, already at the door. She looked back at him, over her shoulder.

"Yes?"

"Do you ever regret it?"

"Regret what?" he asked.

"For taking me in?"

Dr. Heinemann was silent for a moment.

Had it been easy for him, to raise this girl? He'd been in his forties already, when he'd adopted Margot, and she had been 14, a messed up teen aged girl with powers she didn't understand, and the worst temper. These years with her had been an endless struggle, always fearing for her, being concerned about her future.

But wasn't that the case with all parents and their children?

He gave her a gentle smile. "You know I don't."

"Yeah, I know." Margot said. "I just wanted to hear you say it."

There was a smallest of smiles in her sad eyes, as she opened the door and left.


	14. Part I: I'm going to strangle you!

**Author's note: Professor Broom is NOT dead in this storyline, and neither is Agent Clay - just for your information. How they survived the events of the first movie, is another story and will not be told here.**

* * *

 **Part I: Bored to Death**

 **Chapter: I'm going to strangle you!**

* * *

 **Four months later:**

Agent John Myers lay on his bed, staring at the roof in darkness.

The alarm clock went off, it's sharp sound startling him, even if he had been awake already. It had been one of those nights - he'd woken up to a nightmare at 2 am, and couldn't have slept since.

The nightmares were always the same. He died. He was shot, and he died, bled to death on the cold floor of an abandoned mansion, far far away from home. Too bad, that they weren't really nightmares, but memories. He'd talked to a shrink, sure - it was the procedure after you almost died doing the job - but it hadn't really helped. Besides, the nightmares weren't his biggest problem. The real problem was-

 _Don't think about her._ he told himself. _You were bleeding to death, and she left you. Take the hint._

With a long sigh, he sat up and turned off the alarm clock. 6am, rise and shine. He ran his fingers through his hair, got up of the bed and shuffled his feet to the bathroom.

Myers had a small two room apartment on the lower levels of BPRD, not that far from Broom's library or Hellboy's room. At first he had resented the thought of living here, on the underground tunnels, separated from the 'real' world. But soon he'd come to notice it was actually quite handy. You never knew when work called, and often it was on unearthly hours. Living at your workplace helped a lot with commuting.

But lately… this home hadn't really felt like home.

Nothing had felt like it had before. Not since he'd died, not since Margot had-

 _Do_ _ **not**_ _think about her!_ Myers frowned at his face in the mirror while brushing his teeth. This was going to be one of those days, he knew. One of the day's she'd be in his thoughts no matter what he tried.

He left the bathroom, annoyed at himself, picked a shirt and a suit from his closet, a dark tie and black socks, and laid the clothes on his bed.

 _Margot._

He hadn't been able to forget about her. And God knew, he had tried.

During the painful weeks of his recovery in Prague, every time the door of his room had opened, his heart had stirred with hope that it would be her.

And after returning home, it had been even worse. With no real hope of meeting her, he had begun to see her everywhere. Every redheaded woman on the streets, every french conversation that caught his ear, made his heart jump. But it was never her.

It never would be her.

She had ripped his heart out of his chest, he knew, and it would never heal, unlike the injuries he'd gotten from the gun.

He took a look at the large mirror that hang on the wall. He was wearing only his underwear, and thus it was easy to spot the wounds. He raised his fingers to his right shoulder. Right there, under the collarbone, the bullet had entered. The bullet that had almost taken his life. There was an ugly, red, star shaped scar, and above it, a bigger one with marks of the stitches still there, marking the place where they'd cut him open trying to save his life.

The broken collar bone had healed by now, as had the broken ribs. The shattered ribs, that had sliced his lungs and almost made him choke to his own blood.

Myers let his fingers move to his arm. Another bullet hole there, on his bicep, close to his shoulder. It had broken his humerus - the cast had come off just a few weeks ago, and there was still a titan pin holding the bone in one piece. The arm still seemed weak, gone were the strong, lean muscles - though he knew they'd grow back now that he had the permission to hit the gym again.

His eyes wandered to the next scar on his body. On the left side of his lower abdomen, near his hipbone, the bullet had entered. By miracle it had missed his guts, but ripped open his side as it had exited. The scar made by the bullet was lost under a bigger one, an operation wound. They'd stitched him together, the muscle and the skin, the ripped veins and tissues. A big ugly scar went around his side, still red and raw, even if it had been four months already.

And then, the last. Myers' finger brushed the spot lightly, on the upper part of his left thigh. It had been nothing but a muscle wound, but still a painful one. The bullet had ripped through his thigh, barely missing the femoral artery. "You were lucky." had the surgeon said. "Had it cut the artery, you would've bled to death in two minutes."

Lucky. Yeah, right.

Myers gave a small, bitter smile at his image in the mirror. He'd felt many emotions during these months, but lucky wasn't among them.

He still looked worn and pinched, his face pale and the dark shadows seemed permanent under his eyes these days. He'd lost weight too, most of it muscle, and he was so lean that all his clothes felt a bit baggy. He knew he should buy new ones, but just the thought of it felt exhausting.

Besides, it reminded him of the last time he'd bought a suit.

In Brussels, for Margot's birthday. The navy blue Massimo Dutti, that fit like a glove. She'd said it made him look great. Myers' shivered remembering the way Margot's hands had pulled the jacket off his shoulders, caressed his shoulders and arms, on their way down… And how it had felt, when she'd opened his pants, just to grab his-

 _Damn, what is wrong with you!?_ With an angry snort Myers turned his back to the mirror, and began to dress. _Stop thinking about her already!_

Why did _everything_ remind him of her?

When would this stop?

He made a mental note to throw away the Massimo Dutti suit. At least then, there would be one less thing reminding him about her. But as he finished dressing, he knew it would make no difference.

Margot was in his mind, night and day, as if she'd left a tiny part of her soul inside of his, and he knew there was no escaping it.

* * *

Abe took a long look at his friend, silently observing, as was a habit of his.

John Myers was sitting by a large wooden desk, buried in a huge, old book, making notes in a notebook as he was reading. He was wearing his usual black suit and a blue tie, and every inch of him was just as punctual and sharp as Abe was used to seeing him.

But there was more than met the eye in John, Abe knew. He hadn't been the same since he'd returned from this mission in Europe. Yes, almost dying can change a man - Abe knew something about that himself - but he had the feeling there was more to it.

"What are you reading?" he asked, his voice muffled by the water in his tank, but Myers heard him still. He looked up from his book, and Abe noticed once again how pale he was.

"Ah, nothing." he shrugged. "Just this old book about Aztec gods. Professor Broom said there had been some weird sightings in central America, so I thought I'd check this out."

"That's interesting. What kind of sightings?" Abe replied.

"You should ask him, he knows better than me."

Myers turned his gaze back to his book, picked up his pen and continued what he'd been doing. This was how he'd been lately. Just work, no fun. Most of his time Myers spent either in the gym, in his own room, or buried in books in Brooms library, avoiding conversation and eye contact with practically everybody.

"John." Abe interrupted his work. "Would you mind turning pages for me?"

"Oh, sure." Myers got up, and walked closer. "Sorry, I forgot."

"It's quite alright. I have all the time in the world."

Abe observed as Myers walked past the glass of his tank, and turned the pages of all four books he was currently reading, not meeting his eyes. His thoughts were not here, Abe knew. They were somewhere else entirely - in Europe, to be specific.

"Why didn't you tell me you met a girl, John?"

"Stay out of my head, Abe." Myers snapped, but his cheeks blushed.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry." Abe was silent for a while. "But sometimes I catch a thought, or a feeling, if it's very strong."

"I don't want to talk about it."

Myers' voice was strained, and his posture stiff as he walked back to his desk, and sat down. He lowered his gaze back his book, but Abe saw he wasn't really reading.

"She's very beautiful." Abe said silently, as Myers turned a page.

"I told you, stay out of it." There was a warning tone in his voice.

"Ah. But this is important, isn't it John?"

"And none of your business."

"I see." Abe pondered on his words for a few moments. "I wonder if you know, that she saved your life?"

Now he'd gotten Myers' interest. He looked up from his book, a dark look in his beautiful, blue eyes. "She what?"

"You died, didn't you? Your heart stopped. Did you ever wonder, how did it start beating again?"

"The did CPR, so-"

"John." Abe interrupted. "I can see her fingerprints all over your heart."

Myers blinked a few times, his face suddenly pale.

"What do you mean, Abe?"

"Come closer." Abe asked. He placed his hand against the glass of his tank, and Myers, hesitating, stood up and walked to him. He pressed his palm to the glass, so that they were almost touching, just the thin layer of glass between them.

"Yes, it is as I thought" Abe said, after a few heart beats. "She revived you. And she fixed you. You would've bled to death on that hallway, if she hadn't used her powers to save you. It took all she had, though. She almost died bringing you back."

Myers looked up to his eyes, and Abe noticed something dark in them. An intensity he hadn't seen before.

"She almost died?" he asked.

"Yes." Abe replied. "How come you didn't know this?"

Myers shook his head. "They told me she left! But why-?"

"Don't ask me." Abe said. "I wasn't there. But I bet there is someone here who can give you answers."

"Christ!" Myers cursed. His cheeks were burning now with emotion. "I'm going to _kill_ Red. And Kat wagner!"

With that he took off, running out of the library, leaving Abe alone in the now quiet room.

"Don't thank me." Abe said, though no one was there to hear him.

* * *

Myers pushed the door open violently, and stepped inside with a face that immediately made Kat (who was at the moment in her normal human form) stood up from HB's bed where she'd been slacking, reading comics with Red.

"Myers?" she asked, taking a look of his pale face and burning cheeks. "Hey, what is it?"

"I'm going to strangle you!" Myers groaned, pointing a finger at Kat.

"Hey!" protested Hellboy. "That's my girl you're talking to."

"Yeah? Well, I'm going to strangle you too!"

Hellboy tried to hide his grin. "You can try, wimp, with your one functional arm."

"Stop that." said Kat, giving both of the guys an angry glance. "What is it, Myers. Why do you wanna kill people? And before lunchtime? It really isn't like you."

"Because you both knew that I died, and Margot brought me back from the dead by fixing my guts for me? And you didn't tell me!"

An uncomfortable silence fell to the room.

"Oh, that." Kat said. "Damn."

"So it's true then?" Myers asked, still having hard time believing his ears. "You're not denying it?"

"Yeah, it's true." said Hellboy, making a face. "Sorry."

 _Well this is just great. Damn great._

"Four months!?" Myers shouted, losing his temper. " _Four months_ have passed, and neither of you thought I should know what actually happened?"

Kat seemed really awkward. "Margot told us you were not to know."

"Yeah?! And when has that ever stopped you before?"

"This is different. She's my friend. Besides, she said it was either this, or she'd wipe my mind. And I hate that thing." Kat rolled her eyes at Myers. "I didn't want her messing with my brain."

"She couldn't have done that through the phone!"

Kat was silent for a few heartbeats. "True. Damn!"

The anger was now leaving Myers' body. Kat seemed so damn miserable, and Hellboy was busying himself feeding his cats, clearly avoiding Myers' eyes. It wasn't their fault, really. They were his friends - they had been here for him every day, through all of his recovery, the worst and most horrible parts of it, never complaining. This was all Margot - she'd made these two keep the secret.

"But why?" Myers' tone was desperate now. "Why put her own life at risk like that? Why bring me back from the dead, and not tell me? "

"Because she's in love with you, you moron!" snapped Kat.

Myers froze. His heart skipped a few beats.

"She's… what?"

"In love with you, moron." That was Hellboy. "Can't believe you didn't get that."

"Are you serious?"

Myers glanced from Kat to Hellboy and back, and suddenly he felt dizzy. He had to sit down - his rapid heart beats were like wings of a hummingbird, and his cheeks were burning.

"Of course I'm serious." said Kat, sitting down by his side. "I've been listening to her whining after you over the phone these last four months, so yeah, I've got a pretty clear picture of what's going on."

 _She's in love with me._ It took some time for that thought to sink in. _She's in love with me!_

"Why didn't she say so?" Myers looked up to Kat. "She _knew_ how I felt about her. I told her I loved her. Why send me away, and make me think she didn't want me?"

"Because she's a nutcase!" Kat rolled her eyes. "That's why."

"Hey!" Myers protested. "She's _not_ a nutcase."

"Well she's not a normal person either. And stop interrupting me all the time if you want some answers. I might as well tell you all now, she's gonna strangle me anyways."

Myers couldn't help but to smile to that image. "Please, do."

"I've known Margot for a few years now." Kat began, her pale face suddenly serious. She pulled her black hair back behind her ears. "We met on this training camp, and somehow neither of us really fit in, so we befriended. We've become quite close during these years, so I think I have some insight on her thoughts."

Myers said nothing, partly because he didn't want to interrupt her again, partly because he still found it hard to say anything at all, but he gave Kat a small, encouraging nod.

"There are two things you should know about Margot." Kat continued. "The first is, that she's always afraid she'll go nuts, turn to the dark side, and start killing people. And she doesn't want to drag anyone with her. Hence, no serious relationships."

"A dark sith?" Myers gave a small laugh. "Yeah, I can live with that. What's the other thing?"

"She doesn't believe anyone could really love her."

"Why?"

"Because she's a telepath. She's sending out her own feelings all the time, and thus whenever someone is interested in her, she thinks they're just mirroring her emotions. Then it would not be 'real love', but just her subconscious luring people to want her."

"What?" Myers could hardly believe his ears. "That's nuts."

Kat shrugged. "That's what I said."

"But even if that was the case, and I just wanted her because she wanted me-" Myers blushed remembering the passion between them on their short time together. "- it could hardly affect me anymore, right?"

"Duh." Kat said. "You would've gotten over her the minute she left you."

"Well, are you, kid?" Asked Hellboy. "Over her?"

Myers shook his head, staring silently at the opposite wall.

"No." His voice was nothing but a faint whisper. "How could I be?"

Myers took a deep breath, and leaned his head to his hands.

He remembered now, remembered her voice in the darkness, calling his name. And he had followed her, through pain and through death, fought his way back to her from the other side.

"Myers, you ok?" asked Hellboy. He was still holding a can of catfood in his hand, and there were several cats winding in his feet, meowing loudly.

"No." he replied. "But I will be."

"Right." said Kat, and stood up to pick her phone from the table. "Time to put an end to this stupidity. You're gonna call her right now."

"Nope." Myers stood up, suddenly feeling resolute. "I'm going to Europe."

"Even better." stated Kat, and gave him a wide grin, revealing her white canine teeth. "Besides, we have a job there, Red and me."

"You do?" Myers asked. Suddenly his heart felt light, and there was a smile in his face, the first one in ages. "What job?"

"Iku-Turso!" Kat laughed. "Can you believe it?"

"No." he replied, still smiling. "It's not real."

"Well, apparently it is. And we're going to take care of it."

"You'd better take a picture for Margot then." Myers stated. "She's gonna go mental if you don't."

He walked to the door, and pulled it open, only turning to look behind him once more.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" he asked. "Start packing, for I'm going to tell Manning we're leaving tonight. And he'd better let us take the plane!"


	15. Part I: Ukulele

**Part I: Bored to Death**

 **Chapter: Ukulele**

* * *

Myers was walking down the street, on the suburbs of Hamburg, and he was feeling Christmas. All the houses were decorated, there were Christmas lights everywhere and Christmas trees on the market places and street corners, plus he had walked through at least half a dozen small Christmas markets on his way from the nearest U-bahn station, Niendorf-Markt. He had managed through it all, through all the little stands and booths, full of delicacies and gifts, decorations and other things, by buying just one mug of gluhwein - which, by the way, had been great, warming his frozen fingers and calming his restless heart.

To be honest, he hadn't even remembered it was Christmas, not until he'd landed in Europe. Christmas wasn't such a big thing in BPRD, and he had planned to skip the traditional holiday visit to his sister's place in Boston too, as he still hadn't found it in him to tell her he'd been shot.

But here, in middle of the central Europe, you just couldn't forget what day it was. It was Christmas Eve, and suddenly Myers began to think, that perhaps this wasn't the best possible day to make a surprise visit.

 _To Hell with it_ , he decided. _I've waited for four months, and I'm damn well not going to wait a day more!_

He checked the address once more, from a crumpled piece of paper he dug out of his pocket, and realized he had arrived. It was an ordinary looking, two-storied house, made of red bricks, surrounded by a small garden. A cozy looking home, Christmas decorations in the windows and a few (rather creepy) garden elves on the porch.

 _This is it, then._ Myers felt suddenly super nervous. _Christ, I hope-_

But he didn't know what he hoped for, really. This moment was as far as his imagination had let him go. Him standing on the sidewalk, in front of her house, trying to get his shit together.

He stepped to the porch, and rang the doorbell.

It was cold outside, he noticed now. His fingers felt freezing, and his breath vaporized.

The door opened, and Myers was looking at a small woman, perhaps in her fifties.

There were some gray strands in her short, dark hair, and everything about her seemed soft and round, and happy. She said something in German, and looked at Myers expectantly.

"Um…" Myers replied, suddenly feeling a bit stupid. "I'm sorry, do you speak English?"

"Yes, I do. How can I help you?" the woman replied, giving him a small smile.

"I'm looking for Margot Duval, and I got this address… so, um, is she home?"

The older woman took a look at him, from head to toe. "And you are?"

"My name is John Myers. I'm her… um, friend. I just…"

"You're the boy, aren't you?" The lady interrupted Myers' stammering.

"I'm sorry?" he asked.

"The boy who broke her heart. The one she's been longing for four months now."

Myers felt his cheeks blushing. "Yeah, I guess that's me. But in my defence, I had no idea she felt that way."

"That's what I thought." she stated, and stepped aside, to let Myers in. "I am Martha, and Margot is my daughter. Please, come in."

"So, is she home?" he asked, after the door closed behind him. "I can see, that this is bad timing - Christmas Eve, and all - but I just had to see her."

"Margot went out, but let me make you a cup of tea while we wait. She should be back soon enough. Give me your coat, John."

"Thank you." Myers handed his coat to Martha Heinemann, and followed her in.

They went to a large, cosy kitchen, and Martha asked him to sit down by the table, poured hot tea from a pot for both of them, and sat down as well.

Myers took the cup to his still cold fingers, and sipped carefully.

"So, you're here to put an end to all that weeping?" Martha asked, raising an eyebrow.

Myers cleared his throat. "Yes, Mam. That is my intention."

"Don't call me Mam." she stated. "But that's a relief. She's been impossible the last months! Doing nothing, but crying in her room, moping around looking absolutely miserable, and playing sob songs with her ukulele…. Oh, I've had quite enough of that."

"She plays the ukulele?"

"You don't know her too well, do you?" Martha asked with a small smile. "Yes she does, and sings too, very well. But lately it's just Slipknot or Sia, or some other stuff that makes her cry."

"Slipknot with ukulele?" Myers stated. "Really?"

"Don't ask." Martha Heinemann rolled her eyes. "The point is, she hasn't been herself since that mission in Prague, and as her mother, I worry."

"Yeah." Myers felt guilty, even if he knew it wasn't really his fault. "I'm sorry about that."

"Don't. I know my daughter well enough to guess this is entirely her fault." she sipped her tea. "So, what happened?"

Myers felt blushing.

"Well, to make a long story short - we fell in love, and she got scared."

"Sounds like her." Martha stated. "She's always been-"

But just then they heard the door opening, and someone stepped in.

"Mom!" a familiar voice echoed from the porch, followed by something in German.

"I'm in the kitchen." Martha replied calmly, in English. "Come here, there is someone to see you."

"Who's that?" Margot asked, and stepped into the room.

Myers stood up, forgetting all about his tea. Seeing her took his breath away.

Hair copper hair was a mess, her cheeks and nose were reddened by the cold weather, and she looked tiny in her winter coat and a long scarf.

Her eyes widened, and she gasped.

"John…!"

And she flew across the room, throwing herself into his arms.

He grabbed her, pulled her near, and her lips were on his in a heartbeat.

The kiss pulled him under, into her mind and made his head spin.

"Christ, Margot…!" he moaned into her mouth or into her mind, he couldn't tell. Her lips opened for him, her body bent against his, his fingers were in her hair pulling her close and he felt his heart melting.

She was crying now, her delicate form trembling in his arms. The salty taste of her tears became the taste of their kiss, and he felt them burning in his soul.

Finally, after an eternity, Myers broke the kiss, holding her small face in his hands.

"You stupid, stupid girl." he breathed, but with so much affection, it didn't sound like an insult. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Margot was crying, her voice just a sob. "Because I wanted for you to be free."

"I don't want to be free. I want to be yours!"

"But-" she tried to protest.

"Enough!" Myers interrupted. "Enough of this already."

"Of the stupidity?" She laughed through the tears.

"Of secrets. And lies. I love you, Margot, and I want you. All of you. Stop running away from that."

She stayed still for a few heartbeats, her eyes wide and dark - the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

"You love me?" she breathed.

"Didn't you hear me the first time?" he replied, and they both knew he meant the time he had died in her arms.

"Oh." she gasped. "I did."

And he kissed her again, this time even deeper. His lips opened hers, and she invited for his tongue to enter. He forgot everything, everything but her. Her scent of roses and cinnamon was on him, her petite body was trembling in his arms, their tongues found each other - and he just _felt_ it in her mind, that she wanted for him to-

"Children." someone interrupted, and Myers broke the kiss, startled.

Christ, he had forgotten all about Margot's Mom! A deep blush crept to his face.

"I'm sorry-" he stammered, and Margot giggled.

"I'm going to give you two some time to talk this through." Martha stated with a calm voice. She was already pulling on her coat. "I'll go and pick Stefan from the airport, and do the rest of the grocery shopping while I'm at it."

"Thanks mom." Margot breathed, her cheeks rosy as well.

"I'll be back in two or three hours." Martha said, walking to the door. "Try to behave."

"Always." Margot grinned, and watched her mother leave. In the second the door closed behind her, she was back in his arms.

She kissed him, her lips demanding and hot on his, and he felt being pulled into a current he couldn't resist. Her body pressed against his, he felt her small breasts against his chest, and a hot tug of need flashed through his core. Margot breathed into the fire that burnt inside of him, wrapping her slender arms around his neck, kissing him with such passion that it took his breath away.

" _You're still wearing your coat."_ he sent to her mind. " _Do you want to take it off?"_

" _I want you to take it off."_ she was purring. " _And all that I'm wearing."_

Christ, the way she spoke to him! Her words sent a flash of lust to his veins.

"You sure?" he broke the kiss to take a look at her face. "We should probably talk-"

" _You wanna talk or you wanna fuck?"_ she sent, biting her lip, but removed her coat at the same time, letting it fall to the floor.

He couldn't help but to laugh.

"Erm… both?"

"Not at the same time I hope! Except if it's dirty talk."

 _Dirty talk. Right._ He remembered all too vividly the last time she'd made him talk dirty to her. How she'd glued his hands into the wall and made him tell her just what he needed for her to do. The memory made him blush deeply, as he was sure Margot caught the images from his mind.

"Hey, no games today." he breathed, his voice thick and low. "Just us."

"Okay." she smiled, her eyes wide, her pupils dilated.

But her hands were already on the waistband of his jeans, opening his belt and just the feeling of them, made him hard.

"Hey, wait-" he groaned.

"What?" she looked up to him, seemingly innocent, her fingers on the button of his jeans.

"Just one thing-"

"Yeah?"

"When we've… um-" he blushed. Damn, he was _so_ not good at this.

"Fucked?" she helped, grinning sinfully.

"Yeah, after that. You're not gonna say that it was a huge mistake, and then dump me, right?"

She laughed, a soft, dark laughter, and pulled him into another kiss. " _I promise."_

Her hands were in his neck now, pulling him deeper into the kiss, sending jolts like electric current into his system, and suddenly he felt hot all over. But all too soon she broke the kiss, and their contact by taking a step back.

Christ, it felt awful to let her go! Myers gasped for air, trying to stay on his feet.

But Margot was smiling at him, taking a good look at him, from head to toe, her eyes stopping on the evident bulge on his pants.

"Come." she said silently, offering him her small, gloved hand. "Follow me."

And he did.

He knew he'd follow her to the end of the world, if she just let him.


	16. Part I: All I want for Christmas

**Part I: Bored to Death**

 **Chapter: All I want for Christmas**

* * *

Out of the kitchen, through the hall, up the stairs, to her room.

Her hand in his burnt like fire, despite the gloves she wore.

The moment the door of her room closed, Myers wrapped his arms around her slight form, pulled her against his chest, her backside against his aching hips. God, her body was just perfect - her waist so tiny on his hands, the high arcs of her hip bones under his touch.

Groaning, he buried his face into her hair, inhaling her familiar scent of roses and cinnamon.

It was intoxicating.

His hands were impatient, his whole body tense and restless, as he pulled off her sweater and found her small, firm breasts.

"Oh, John…!" Margot breathed, bending her body closer to his. "Please-."

She didn't need to say what she wanted, for he knew it anyhow.

He pulled down the neckline of her top, and palming her breasts with one hand, moved the other to her back, to open the bra.

"I missed you so much!" he breathed into her hair.

And understatement of the year.

He had barely been alive without her. Nothing but a hollow shell of a man. But now - damn, he was burning.

He breathed the scent of her hair, kissing her neck, her shoulder. His fingers found her nipples, and he felt them hardening under his touch. She made a small sound of pleasure, as he tugged on them, and just hearing it was enough to make him hard. Groaning he pushed his hips tight against her sweet, round backside.

"Christ, Margot!" he breathed, his voice was suddenly thick and hoarse in his throat. "I-"

"Thad, it's alright." Margot whispered, and turned around to face him. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

"You promise?"

"Yeah, I promise."

She was so beautiful, so tiny, and by God, he'd never wanted a woman more in his life.

Groaning he pulled her close, and kissed her lips - the kiss demanding and hard now, and they both knew what he wanted. Margot's hands were on his shirt, pulling it up, and within moments they'd both managed to get rid off their clothes.

He walked her backwards, to the bed, and laid her down on it.

Damn, she was hot! Myers couldn't help but to feel that she was out of his league. How an Earth had he ended up with a girl like her?

Her slender legs, her curvy hips, and the tiny waist - he let his gaze wander on her body - and then her breasts, Christ, his mouth watered on the sight of them, they were small but firm, sized and shaped like apple halves, their nipples dark and hardened.

He followed her to the bed, lay down by her side.

Her green eyes were so wide and dark, her chest heaving, her cheeks burning. And suddenly, there was something so vulnerable, so shy in her, that it took his breath away.

This was a different Margot. The _real_ Margot.

 _No games. Just us._

"You're so beautiful." he breathed.

The need was burning in his veins, his erection throbbing against his abdomen, but by God, he didn't want to rush this moment. Her skin was silky under his touch, and she gasped, as his fingers followed the line of her collarbone, to her breasts, and downwards. Gently he pushed her down, her head on the pillow, and kissed her. Slow and deep, and all the while his hand was moving on her skin. It was on her abdomen now, on her hip bones… and finally it found her crotch - she made a sharp gasp as he gently spread her already slick folds with his fingers.

"Oh God!" she breathed, as he caressed her sweetest spots. "Oh John, Oh-"

But her gasps were interrupted by yet another kiss from his lips, and she opened herself to him, her thoughts to his mind, her mouth to his tongue, her thighs to his fingers, and her back arched from the mattress.

"Please!" she moaned into his mouth. "Please-"

And he pushed a finger inside, making her gasp and bury her hands in his hair.

She was so wet already, so hot and slick, that it almost made Myers lose it. He had to bite his lip to be able to concentrate. But her thoughts were in his, and he followed them, letting his hand massage her just the way she ached for, his finger searching for the sweetest spots inside of her, his palm pressing against her swollen clit.

She was all molten lava in his hands, her whole form shivering under his gentle, yet ruthless touch. He pushed her to the edge, making her gasp for air.

" _John!"_ her voice was in his mind. " _Christ, fuck me already!_ "

Her plea made him growl.

He pulled his hand away, and rolled on top of her, his lips never leaving hers. His fingers were deep in her soft curls now, as he kissed her, and she wrapped her thighs around his hips, pulling him closer. With one, long thrust he entered her, pinning her against the mattress.

"Oh, fuck, Margot…!"

"Ah, Thad-!" she gasped as he penetrated her.

She was so sweet, so tight and hot around him, making him feel a desire of animal nature, a lust that burnt him from head to toe - one he simply couldn't fight.

Inside of her, deeper, harder - he pushed, and her body answered his need. He buried himself in her, between her thighs, his face in her neck, on the silky soft skin of her shoulder.

All thoughts fled his mind.

There was nothing but this moment, the way their bodies moved together, the feeling of being not two, but one - God, he _belonged_ here, inside of her, his aching shaft slicing her open again, and again until she dug her fingernails into his back, and came screaming his name.

Her slender body arched against his, her thighs squeezed his hips, and he was swept within the current, giving her every piece of him, collapsing on top of her, as he came too.

* * *

Afterwards they lay on her bed, Myers on his back, Margot on her side, resting her head on his shoulder. Her fingers were aimlessly caressing his chest, tracing small circles on his skin.

"Thank's for the Christmas present." she said with a soft voice. "John Thaddeus Myers, the most amazing lover in the world."

His beautiful lips curved into a smile. "Oh come on. It's all you - you make me amazing."

"Nah." she shrugged. "It doesn't work like that."

"Like what?"

"You're not some sex robot that I control, are you?" she looked up to his eyes. "You do not only read me, you choose to listen as well. Not every guy can do that, or make me come like you just did."

A small blush crept to his face. "And not every girl makes me feel like you do."

Margot didn't reply, but snuggled closer to him.

She could feel, not just his physical warmth, but also the one of his thoughts. A warm, fuzzy feeling, that surrounded her like a blanked.

 _This must be love_. she thought. _I could get used to it._

And suddenly she felt nervous. Was it really safe to let him read her like this? All her feelings wide open for him to spot? Quickly she pushed the uncertainty away, to the furthest corner of her mind, and locked it up.

 _He loves you. Don't be paranoid._ she told herself.

"So…" she began, to get her mind off the troubling thoughts. "You didn't forget about me?"

"No, I didn't. Not even for a minute." he turned to his side, to see her face, and his hand was caressing her hair. "Hear me now, will you? You said I chose to listen to you, and you were right. I do have a free will. It wasn't like you lured me into a trap, Margot. I _chose_ to fall for you - I gave you my heart willingly. So don't you ever dare to leave me again, not as long as you love me too. You hear me?"

Margot felt blushing.

" _As long as you love me too"_ , he had said.

How fitting, that it was him to say that she did, and not her. But still she knew it was true, she loved him, and there was no running away from that.

His eyes were so blue, and wide, so full of love, and suddenly Margot was swept into the memory that had been haunting her for these four months. The memory of his death.

The feeling of losing him, of seeing those beautiful eyes closing, of his heart stopping, was on her like it had been on that moment, and she felt like falling.

"You died." her voice was nothing but a faint whisper.

"Yeah." he replied. Her fingers were tracing the scar on his collarbone, and she knew he felt all that was in her mind. Her fear, her despair, her rage, all she'd felt when desperately trying to save his life.

There were tears in her eyes, and she just couldn't stop them from falling to her cheeks..

"Hey, it's alright." Myers said, taking her small face into his hands, wiping away her tears. "You saved me. You held my heart in your hands, and brought me back."

"I was so scared." she breathed. "I thought I'd lost you."

"You didn't." He kissed her softly. "I'm right here, and I'm yours."

She couldn't answer. She was too lost in his eyes, those pretty, blue bed-me-eyes that looked at her like she was something amazing.

"You didn't want to lose me, I know that now. Then why… why did you leave me?" he asked after a short while, and Margot felt an ugly flash of guilt in her heart, for she felt his pain.

"You know why. Because you'd be better off without me."

"Margot, that's-"

"Yeah, stupid. I get that a lot." She sighed. "But the truth is, I was a mess, John. Seeing you shot… it was the worst moment of my life. I couldn't handle it, so I did the only thing I know."

"You ran away." he said, but it wasn't an accusation.

"Yeah." she breathed. "I needed some time off."

Myers ran his fingers gently through her curls, and they sent a shiver to her spine. She snuggled closer to him, let him wrap his arms around her.

"What happened after I got shot?"

"You know what happened. You read the report, and I bet Kat and HB told you all that Marco left out of it."

"I'm asking you. What happened to you?"

She was silent for a moment. It all came back to her in a heartbeat.

The dark hallway, the pain, the fear, the unbearable fear of losing John. And the anger. The loneliness of taking someone's life was still fresh on her soul, and it cut through her heart like a spear.

"I got angry." she breathed silently. "John, I killed those people. They shot you, and I… I got so mad. And I killed them. Just like that."

"That's what your Dad was talking about." Myers stated silently. "Why he didn't want to let you on the mission."

"Yeah. And I failed. I did exactly the thing he warned me about."

"You didn't fail. Yes, you got angry - and if I'm right, that anger saved me. You couldn't have pulled out that stunt without being mad, right? I owe you my life. Don't you ever be sorry that you lost your temper to save my life."

His voice was stern, and Margot felt he meant every word he said, but her heart didn't believe it. After more than a decade of self loathing, it isn't easy to believe you're worthy of someone's love.

"But I am a killer." she argued - an old habit that one. "I'm not allowed on the field anymore. If there was any justice in this world, I'd be in the jail right now."

"That's rubbish. The people you killed - they weren't innocent. On the contrary - they were there to kill innocent people. And you stopped that. We're not just regular people, Margot. We're soldiers - our job is to be ruthless, when necessary. This is a war, and in a war there'll always be casualties."

"Yeah?" Margot replied. "Then why do I feel this way?"

"Because you're human." he breathed, and placed a small kiss on her forehead.

And she just couldn't block him anymore. With that small kiss, her defences crumbled, and she let him in - truly let him in.

She let him see all, all of her deepest self loath and misery, every depth of it. He gasped, feeling her despair, his fingers grabbed hard on her shoulders, and he winced.

"I'm sorry!" Margot exhaled, seeing the shocked look on his face. "I shouldn't have-"

"No, I am sorry." he pulled her close. "I'm sorry you feel that way."

He pulled her close, and holding her face in his strong hands, he kissed her. And his lips were so sweet on hers, so gentle, so slow and caressing, that she couldn't hold on to her grief.

"You can't make it better." she argued nevertheless, breaking the kiss. "This is me, John. This is what I am. I'm not a good girl, my soul is tainted, and I know it."

"Huh?" he raised an eyebrow. "Well, who want's a good girl anyway?"

"You?" she asked. "At least you'd deserve one."

But his arms were strong around her, and his voice was low and thick when he spoke: "Shut up and let me kiss you."

Who was she to argue?

He rolled on top of her, pressed her down on the bed, and kissed her.

His lips opened hers, and his tongue entered, tasting her tears, feeling the insides of her mouth.

She made a small gasp, as the desire light up in her again. It was a fiery spark, that sent shivers to her spine, and made her heart race.

He was alive. He was here. And he was _hers_. The thought made her high headed.

 _Christ - will I ever get enough of this man?_

There was a sweet, sweet weakness, that overtook her, as he touched her. His hands moved on her skin, downwards, found her breasts, tugged on her nipples, sending a shock of need and pleasure through her core.

And then his lips were on her neck, his hot breath fell on her skin, and made her shiver.

Gods, he was so strong! Even now, after his injuries, he was lean and his muscles hard, like rock under her touch. And the way he ruthlessly parted her thighs with his strong hands, made Margot feel the amazing freedom of losing her own will.

 _I'd let him do whatever he wishes with me._

It was an intoxicating thought, one that made her breathing shallow and her cheeks blush.

He was between her thighs now, his hungry mouth sucking hard on her nipples, and she made a moan of pain and pleasure, that made him groan out loud too.

Christ, the way he echoed all her feelings, made her hyper sensitive and madly aroused. She saw herself through his feelings - beautiful, loved, perfect. A way she'd never seen herself before, and it was almost more than she could take.

"John, damn it!" she moaned. "My Mom could come home any minute!"

He chuckled, his breathing hot on her breasts. " _Last I checked, we still had time."_ he sent to her mind.

"John, really-"

But then his lips were on her crotch and she lost the will to argue.

"Sweet mother Mary of Christ!" she cursed, and made him chuckle. But the way his tongue found her clit and pressed on it, making small circles around it, was just crazy good. And then he sucked on it, sending a wave of sparks into her mind.

"Oh, please, please, please-" she breathed, and her head was spinning.

He certainly knew what to do with those lips! It didn't take long for him to lick and suck her to the edge, until she was shivering from head to toe, and begging for him to go on, to keep on doing just what he was doing, and never, ever to stop-

And just then he pulled away.

She made a cry of disappointment, but he silenced her by kissing her on the lips, and pushing her down ruthlessly. He was on top of her, and his throbbing, rock hard shaft inside of her in a heartbeat.

"Oh Christ!" Margot cried out, feeling his erection cutting her open. "Gods!"

But he gave her no mercy. With just a few long, hard and fast thrust he pushed her over the edge, and she came, her orgasm washing over her like a tsunami.

* * *

"Damn you, John Myers." Margot breathed, when finally coming to. She opened her eyes to see the super self confident smile on his lips. "I thought you said, 'No games, just us.'"

He was still inside of her, his cock still hard and yearning, but he didn't seem to be in a particular hurry.

"This _is_ me." he smiled, and stole a kiss, swirling his hips slowly against her on a way that made her gasp.

"Well, you certainly put those gorgeous lips of yours in good use." she murmured.

But he didn't answer, just kissed her again, and this time with more determination.

 _Yeah, he is still in need. No more chit chat, Margot._

She answered his kiss, and let his tongue find hers. His heart was pounding in his chest, that dear heart of his, the one she'd held in her hands.

He pushed deep inside of her a few times, groaning with every thrust, but then pulled out, and sat back on the bed, on his knees, taking a good look at her.

Their contact was broken, and suddenly it made Margot feel insecure.

Damn, he was so beautiful! His dark hair a mess, red spots on his pale cheeks, his lips red and swollen from all the kissing - and his large, thick erection throbbing against his abdomen, longing for her to touch it.

"How do you want me?" she breathed. "You want me to suck it?"

Something flashed in his eyes, something dark, and the memory made Margot blush.

"Not now." he replied. "Turn around."

His voice was hoarse, and it sounded like a command. Without a blink, Margot obeyed. She rolled on her belly, and spread her legs for him.

And then he was on top of her, pushing deep inside of her.

Christ, it felt so good like this! Margot had to bite her lip not to scream out loud. Her flesh was tender and hypersensitive after the two orgasms he'd given her, and she felt with agonizing clarity every inch of his cock as it entered her.

But he wasn't going to last long now, she knew it without even reading his mind.

His rhythm was fast and raw, his hips hitting hard against her backside, and she felt his need as if it was her own.

It only took a few deep thrust more, and he came, groaning.

* * *

Half an hour later, Martha Heinemann stepped into her home, followed by her husband who was carrying multiple bags of groceries and Christmas presents

"We're back!" she shouted from the door, just to make sure.

"Great!" Margot's voice replied from the living room. "I'm starving!"

She walked in, removing her coat, and followed her daughter's voice.

The young couple was comfortably slacking on the couch in the living room (and yes, it was obvious they were a couple now), sipping some steaming, strong and delicious Gluhwein. Margot lay on the sofa, her legs on Myers' lap, and he had this silly grin on his lips, like a guy who's just won in a lottery.

"So, you'll be staying then?" Martha asked.

Myers blushed - he seemed to do that quite often. "If it's not too much of a trouble? I mean, I understand if it is… I can go to a hotel, if-"

"None sense." Martha smiled. "Sending you to a hotel on Christmas Eve? After putting an end to the 'Slipknot with ukulele' thing? Of course you'll stay - I'll make you a bed on the spare room."

"Thank you, Mam." Myers replied, his cheeks burning, and he glanced at Margot on a way that secretly made Martha very happy.

"Stefan." she turned to say to her husband who now entered the room. "We have a Christmas guest. Be nice."

"Aren't I always?" he chuckled, but the look in his eyes when he saw Myers was the one of an overprotective father. It was a good thing Martha had had time to warn him in the car.

"Dr. Heinemann." Myers said, and managed to get up from the sofa, even if Margot's feet in his lap made it somewhat difficult for him. "It is a pleasure to meet you again."

The older man took a long, evaluative look of Myers, and everything in him seemed to say 'If you hurt my girl, I'll make sure you pay for it' - but finally he offered his hand, and Myers took it.

"Merry Christmas, Agent Myers." Dr. Heinemann said.

"Merry Christmas, Sir." Myers replied somewhat stiffly.

"Oh come on!" exclaimed Margot, hopping to her feet. "Dad - John is a great guy, stop acting like an overprotective ass. John - that's my Dad, relax! And Mom - I'm starving! When are we going to eat?!"

"As soon as you'll help me with the dinner preparations, darling." Martha said, and picked up a bag with groceries, heading towards kitchen. "And John, dear. Would you give me a hand too?"

"Yes, Mam." he stated, clearly relieved, and quickly followed her out of the living room.

"And stop calling me 'Mam'." Martha stated. "Do as Margot said, and relax. It's Christmas after all."

"Yeah, it's Christmas." said Margot, who had followed them, wrapping her arms around Myers' waist. "And I'm so happy I could burst."

And there it was, a smile on her daughter's lips. The one and only Christmas present Martha Heinemann had been hoping for.

* * *

 **And thus ends the "Part I - Bored to death"! Margot and Myers are happily together, but do not worry my friends, new drama is heading their way and there'll be another round of broken hearts and near death situations in the "Part II - My baby left me!" Keep on reading, and please, please, if you've managed to read this far, take the time to leave a review - they do mean the world to me. Thank you!**


	17. Part II: Prologue

**And so it begins - the second part of my story! I hope you enjoy it, and please - leave reviews! I do appreciate every single one of them.**

 **Part II: My Baby Left Me!**

 **Chapter: Prologue 2**

* * *

 **The Newark International Airport, arrivals hall:**

"Jesus Christ, John Myers, I've missed you like Hell!" Margot exclaimed and threw herself into his arms.

Her lips were on his in an instant, and their minds merged.

" _And I've missed you."_ he sent to her.

Six weeks it had been, since he'd left her after the Christmas holiday, and it had felt like a year.

He wrapped his arms tight around her, pulled her against his chest, inhaling her familiar scent, feeling with every nerve the electricity that always seemed to surround her. The hair on the back of his head stood up.

"So, how are things?" he asked, when she finally broke the kiss. "How's Europe?"

Margot picked up her small bag, but Myers took it from her as they started walking towards the exit.

"The same." she shrugged. "My Mom sends her love to you."

"Yeah?" Myers asked. "Thank her for me, will you?"

"Sure. You really impressed her, you know. She just won't shut up about you."

Myers felt blushing. "Well, that's good isn't it?"

"Yeah." she smiled, taking his hand. "And guess what?"

"What?"

"I've started working again."

"Hey, that's great!" Myers stated, turning to face her. "Why didn't you say so on the phone?"

"Dunno." she shrugged. "Was too busy having phone sex with you, I guess."

 _Christ, the things she said - just like that!_

He cleared his throat - suddenly her hand in his made him feel hot all over, and he pulled her closer, wrapped his arm around her petite form.

"So…" he said, his cheeks burning. "You hungry? I could take you out for a dinner, or we could head back to my place."

"Oh, I'm hungry, alright." she grinned impishly. "But not for food. Take me to your place, Thad."

"Sure thing." he said, desperately trying to sound cool, and failing miserably.

* * *

A long distance relationship was no piece of cake, but it did have it's perks.

One of them was, that when you finally saw the person you'd missed like hell for six weeks, the passion had been growing for some time. And thus, the sex was great.

Though, sex with Margot was always great, Myers thought.

They lay on his bed, side by side, half naked. Myers still had his shirt on (though Margot had ripped the buttons off it), and she was wearing her stay up socks and bra, but the rest of their clothing was scattered around the room. They were both sweaty and still trying to catch their breath.

"Christ John." Margot breathed, throwing her arms to her sides. "I'm never going home, if Newark makes you fuck me like this."

He couldn't help but to laugh. "Yeah? Well, stay then. You know that's what I want."

"I know." she replied, snuggling closer. Her small hand was on his chest, he felt the warmth of it on his skin, and the labyrinth of her thoughts around his.

"But you won't, will you?" he asked. "Stay here."

"John, it's the first time I'm here. We've been together for what, less than two months now? And you're already asking me to move to another continent for you."

Her tone was slightly tense, and Myers felt her mood darkening. Comfortingly, he placed a kiss on her forehead, and ran his fingers through her hair.

"That's not what I meant." he breathed. "I just missed you, a lot. It sucks that you live in Europe."

"Yeah, I know." Margot sighed. "Though, it's not Europe, that sucks. It's the fact that you live here."

He couldn't help but to give a small laugh. "Then perhaps I should give up my job and move to Brussels? You think your dad would hire me?"

The thought of that made Margot laugh too. "I doubt it."

"Yeah, me too."

They were silent for a while, just breathing in each others scent, feeling the other one's emotions. Myers felt Margot's love like a sunshine, like a warm wind that surrounded him, and he felt euphoric.

If only things could be like this forever, he wished. But in five days she'd leave him. Go back to Brussels, to her home and to her job, and God knew when he'd see her again. The thought filled his heart with fear, that was instantly spotted - and shared - by Margot.

Yeah, there was no way they'd be able to live without each other. That much was sure.

" _What are we going to do about this?"_ he sent to her mind.

And for once she didn't smile. " _I don't know, John. I really don't know."_


	18. Part II: The coolest superhero

**Part II: My Baby Left Me!**

 **Chapter: The Coolest Superhero**

* * *

It wasn't easy, but somehow they made it work - their long distance relationship.

Myers flew to Brussels or Margot to Newark about once a month, and they spent few days together. And then, the rest of the month desperately longing for each other, and waiting for the next opportunity to meet.

Myers hated it, and so did Margot - but what choice did they have?

Margot had just started working again, and she wasn't about to blow this opportunity to regain the trust of her father and her colleagues. And Myers? He knew there was no way he'd be able to leave BPRD. Who would keep things together, if he left? Who'd keep an eye on Hellboy and Kat, if he didn't?

He knew Broom was getting really old, and Manning was an incompetent ass. Well, there was Clay, sure, but even if he was a good guy, he was no leader. Myers knew BPRD needed him, even more than Margot did.

Besides, even if he'd manage to get a job in Europol, it would be too awkward to work for Margot's dad. Myers had a feeling, that the older man didn't trust he'd be good for Margot, no matter how hard he tried.

These restless thoughts in his mind, he waited for Margot in Brooms library.

It was the third time she came here, and as Myers had been working on a tricky case, buried in work, Margot had said she'd take a cab.

With a long sigh Myers closed the book he'd been reading. Still about the Aztec Gods. There was something fishy going on in Mexico, and he had a feeling he'd missed something, which was never a good thing when you weren't exactly sure what you were looking for in the first place.

"You seem impatient, John." stated Abe, who was doing some research too, wearing his wetsuit to be able to stay out of his tank. "Is everything fine?"

"Boy scout's waiting for the girlfriend." Hellboy stated, giving Myers an amused look. "He's been kinda tense all day."

"Ah." stated Abe. "Young love."

"Stop talking about me like I'm not present." Myers stated dryly. "Besides, what are you two even doing here?"

He glanced from Hellboy, who was slacking on a couch, to Kat who was balancing on high ladders, trying to find something from the upper racks of the bookshelf.

"Research." Kat replied, grinning on a way that showed that even in her human form she had an unusually wide and wolfish smile. "Helping you, in other words."

"And I'm helping Kat." said Hellboy shrugging.

"How, exactly?" Myers gave him a look. "For it seems to me, that-"

But just then the library's door opened and in stepped Clay, followed by the petite redhead that made Myers' heart skip a beat.

"Found this beauty wandering on the hallways." Clay said. "And a little bird sang to me, she was looking for you, Myers."

"Bonsoir!" said Margot cheerfully and gave everyone a gracious smile. "Nice to see you all. Nice suit, John."

Her green eyes scanned Myers' from head to toe, and he felt blushing. Yeah, seemingly the suit thing still worked on her. He'd thought as much when picking the Massimo Dutti from his closet this morning.

"How did you get in?" he managed, surprised to see her. "I thought you'd call from the front door-"

"Oh honey, haven't you learned by now, that there aren't many places that I can't get into?" she grinned, stepping closer to him, wrapping her hands around his waist.

Christ, it felt good to have her near! Myers pulled her closer, and gave a small kiss to her lips - but Margot lifted her hands to his neck, and didn't let him broke the kiss that easily.

After a rather long and steamy kiss, that left them both breathless, she finally let go of him, and whispered: "I missed you."

"Aww, you lovebirds." stated Clay, apparently hearing her. "Get a room already."

"We have one, luckily." replied Margot. "But it's gonna have to wait. I've brought something."

"What's that?" inquired Kat, hopping down from the ladder. She was as agile as ever, even in her human form. "You brought me chocolate?"

"Sure, hon." Margot grinned, and threw her a box. "Though you don't appreciate it the way you should."

"What you talking about?" the taller woman replied, already opening the box, and taking a seat by Hellboy. "I love these things! Every piece is different, and look - they're so pretty!"

"Yeah." Margot said. "And that's why it pains me to see how you eat them."

"Dunno what you're talking about." Kat rolled her eyes. She'd already stuffed half of the box to her mouth, and was looking into the second layer. Hellboy needed to act fast, if he wanted to get any.

"Anyhow…" Margot continued, searching something from her bag. "I also brought Champagne!"

Her grin was wide and plain happy, as she dug two large bottles from her bag.

"Oh." stated Abe. "What's the occasion?"

"That I had a really long flight, and I'd like to get drunk with my friends?" Margot raised an eyebrow. "Or does someone have better plans for the night?"

"That's a great plan!" stated Clay, rubbing his hands together. "I'll get some glasses."

"Bring beer glasses too." Margot added. "For I brought some delicious Belgian Blonde as well."

"God, I hope that's a beer and not a person." stated Kat.

"Of course it's a beer. Belgian blond ale is the best beer in the world!" Margot rolled her eyes. "It's for you and Red. I remembered that you don't like wines."

"Thanks!" Hellboy said, as Margot handed him a large bottle. "You're the best!"

"I know." Margot replied, grinning, and finally sat down too. "John, would you open the Champagne for us, please?"

Myers couldn't help feeling a bit confused. Margot had so much energy. She was an ADHD girl, her thoughts rushing from thing to another in a nanosecond, and sometimes it was a bit exhausting to deal with. He was still thinking about her remark about his suit, and now there was apparently a party starting.

"How did you manage to bring all this in your hand luggage?" Myers asked, picking up one of the Champagne bottles.

"I have my ways." Margot winked. "You know I always get what I want."

 _True that._ Just the thought of it made Myers blush.

"You used your powers to smuggle alcohol?" he asked. "Really?"

"Well, I didn't use it to smuggle a bomb. And I didn't kill anyone today." Margot replied indifferently. "So what's the problem?"

"No problem." Myers said, and took a look at her, while beginning to open the bottle.

She was even more hyperactive than usually, and he knew her well enough to know that there was something behind it. Perhaps it was just stress after the long flight (he knew she hated flying), or maybe it was something else, but it was clear that something was bothering her. Myers suspected he wouldn't get to the bottom of that, though, not as long as they were surrounded by other people.

Which probably was the exact reason for this 'surprise party' of hers.

But just then Clay interrupted Myers' troubled thoughts by arriving with glasses, and Myers opened the bottle with a loud pop.

"Great!" said Margot, raising a glass Clay had given her. "Fill it up, Thad, will you?"

"Sure." he said, for what else was there to do? She always got what she wanted, and if she wanted to get drunk on Champagne, who was he to argue?

"So, who else wants some?" Myers asked, and it turned out that everybody wanted - even Abe - except for Kat and HB, who were satisfied with their Belgian Blonde.

Myers took a chair for himself and sat down, just as Margot turned to Kat, and asked: "So, who's the old creep who stared at my boobs? I ran to him trying to find you guys."

"And you're not talking about Clay?" Kat raised an eyebrow.

"Hey!" Clay protested. "I don't do that! And I'm not an old creep."

"Fine, fine." Kat said. "It must've been Manning then."

"Manning?" Margot looked at Myers. "Your boss?"

"Yeah." they all gave a sigh.

"Man." Margot stated. "He didn't seem like a nice person."

"Why? What did he do to you?" Myers asked.

Just the thought of Manning staring Margot's boobs had been enough to make him annoyed. There was just one person in this place who had the right to do that, and it sure as Hell wasn't Manning.

"Nothing." Margot replied. "Just talked to my cleavage. And I happened to see his thoughts. Ewww - they weren't pretty."

Myers cleared his throat. He felt angrier than in a long time, and a blush crept to his face.

"Hey, it's alright. Just let it go." Margot said, clearly noticing his mood. "It happens to me all the time."

"Yeah? Well I'm not going to just sit by and-"

"John, leave it." Margot said again, and leaned closer, placing her small, gloved hand on his arm. "I'm sorry I brought it up. I don't want you to get in trouble with your boss."

"Yeah, he is the boss." Hellboy stated. "Even if we don't like it."

"It's not that we don't like him. The problem is that he doesn't like us." said Abe silently. "But it is what it is."

"Well. He'll be sure to retire some day." said Kat. "Or perhaps we get lucky, and he gets eaten by a ghoul or something."

"Nah, no such luck." replied Hellboy. "We're stuck with him until he decides it's time to go."

"You talk like it's going to be better after that." Said Abe. "But who knows - there might be even worse people to follow him."

That thought made them all a bit serious, and soon they moved into other, more cheerful topics.

Margot emptied a glass after another, and rather quickly she was more than a little tipsy. Kat had enjoyed enough of the Belgian Blonde to make her skin turn a little bluish, and Myers noticed that her ears began to seem a bit pointy. Myers himself was still on his first glass of Champagne, as was Abe, but Clay had emptied half a bottle by himself.

And what were they talking about?

"No! Yours are the coolest." Margot exclaimed to Kat, laughing. "I mean, shapeshifting-"

"Hardly! I can only take two forms, unlike my brothers who are far more versitile."

"Oh, yeah… I remember Jay." Margot giggled on a way that made Myers more than a bit jealous. Who the hell was Jay?

"But anyways…" Margot continued, apparently remembering her original topic. "Your powers are the best. Shapeshifting, teleportation, telepathy-"

"My telepathy is nothing compared to yours." Kat argued. "You can do practically anything with your mind."

"True." Margot grinned. "But so can Abe here. You're a telepath too, right?"

"I do have some psychic abilities, true." Abe replied calmly. "But not nearly as strong as yours, I'm afraid. And you do seem to be the only telekinetic here, which is admirable."

"And I'm also the only one who sees dead people." Margot rolled her eyes. "But that's a pain in the ass, really. Nothing cool about that."

"You see dead people? Like ghosts?" asked Myers, sipping from his glass. "Really?"

"Didn't I tell you?" Margot smiled, but her thoughts seemed to be on the next topic already, for she quickly turned to Hellboy. "So, what exactly is your superpower, Red? Your handsome looks, and a wicked tail don't count."

"Bringing on the Apocalypse?" Hellboy raised an eyebrow. "Plus a dark sense of humor."

"You win!" Margot laughed.

"True." said Kat, leaning on his shoulder. "HB always wins."

"Aww, aren't you two cute." Margot grinned. "So, it seems that we have the ultimate winner of the 'Coolest superhero in the room' - competition."

"That wasn't a fair competition." argued Clay. "Me and Myers couldn't even participate."

"Oh, I don't know about you Clay, but I know well enough, that John has a superpower or two up in his sleeve." Margot turned to look at Myers, and something in her eyes made him suddenly feel hot all over.

Margot stood up from the sofa she'd been sitting on, and walked to Myers, just to sit in his lap and give him a small kiss on the corner of his lips. It was enough to make his mouth water and his heart skip a beat.

"In fact, I'm beginning to think he should be the winner of this competition." she added purring.

"Hey!" exclaimed Kat. "Not fair!"

"Oh come on." Margot laughed, leaning her petite body on Myers' chest. "Look at my John here. He's by far the most beautiful man in this room. He has the ultimate puppy eyes-"

"That's true." shrugged Kat.

"- and he has the best heart." Margot continued. "I should know, I've held it in my hands."

That was enough to make even Kat shut up.

Margot turned so, that she could kiss Myers, and he moved his hands to her hair to pull her closer. Christ, it felt so good! Her lips on his were so soft, so warm and inviting, and a need that had been lurking under the seemingly calm surface all night long, rose up in him.

He let his tongue enter her mouth, and forgetting all about their audience, kissed her hard, demanding and slow, until she was breathing shallow and was shivering in his arms.

But finally she pulled back and broke their kiss. She turned to look at Kat again, and her cheeks burning, said: "Plus, John is the best kisser. And he gives me these mind blowing-"

"That's quite enough." Myers interrupted her, blushing deeply. "We're leaving."

"We are?" Margot protested, as Myers lifted her on her feet. "So soon? There is still Champagne!"

" _I'm about to show you some of my mind blowing abilities, as soon as we get to my room."_ Myers sent to her mind. (He brushed her cheek with his fingers to be able to do that.)

"Oh." Margot giggled. "In that case."

She snuggled closer to Myers, and let him wrap his arm around her, giving him a lustful look through her lashes.

"Have fun." laughed Kat, and winked.

"Show her some of your superpowers, Myers." stated Clay, and poured himself some more Champagne.

But Myers wasn't about to stay and listen any more of their gossiping, and firmly he lead Margot out of the library.

"You sure kept me waiting." he murmured to her hair, as soon as they were out of the room.

"Yeah? Well I'm all yours now."

"About time." his voice sounded thick in his throat.

"Impatient, John?" she made a small, arousing laughter. "My my, you know I don't like to rush it."

"I'm not going to." He let his hand wander to her lower back. "But I know just what I want to do to you tonight."

"Oh, that sounds promising. And what is it, if I may ask?"

"Don't pry." he said with a low, husky voice. "You'll see soon enough."

They soon reached his rooms, for they weren't that far away. And as soon as the door shut behind them, Myers grabbed Margot into his arms, and kissed her hard.

Christ, he'd been waiting to do this the whole night! (Or more precisely for four weeks now.) And sitting in the library, watching the way her hair glowed in the warm light of the fireplace, the way she lifted the Champagne glass to her lips and sipped, the movement of her delicate, gloved fingers… it had been enough to make him anxious, the hot need welling in his core.

He broke the kiss, just to remove his suit jacket, and threw it on the kitchen counter. His chest was heaving and his heart felt like it was trying to beat it's way out of his chest.

 _Don't rush it._ he told himself. _You've got the whole night._

With slow, deliberate moves he opened his tie, and pulled it off. A nice, dark green silk tie, that Margot had given him.

"Give me your hands." he commanded.

"What are you up to?" Margot breathed, giving him a small smile, but did as she was told.

Myers took her small hands in his, gently removed her gloves, and then tied her wrists together with his tie, firmly but not so tight it would cause her discomfort.

"Damn, John-" she began, but he silenced her by pulling her close again, and kissing her hard. He let his tongue enter her mouth, to search the insides of it, and it made her shiver.

Their minds merged, and he felt her arousal in him.

Yeah, she was liking this little game, that much was obvious. And just the thought of it, was enough to make him hard.

Roughly he turned her around, and bent her down, so that she was leaning on a barstool with her tied hands. She made a small surprised gasp, which sent a shock of need through his spine. She was still wearing all her clothes - tight jeans and a blouse, but he saw clearly enough the shape of her perfectly round ass, and her tiny waist, and they called to him on a primitive way. His hands felt impatient, as he laid them on her waist, and pulled down her pants and underwear, revealing her milky white backside.

Jesus, she seemed so helpless like this! Her hands tied with his tie, and her legs by the tight jeans he'd pulled down to her knees. Yeah, of course he knew she could disintegrate the bonds to atoms at any time with her mind, but she chose not to do that - she chose to let him do this, to be at his mercy, and that made him groan of need. Myers felt his erection pulsing rock hard in his pants, and he had to take a deep breath to be able to calm down a bit.

 _Not yet._ He told himself. _Not until she's begging._

He knelt on the floor behind her, and placed a trail of small kisses on the tender skin of her inner thighs.

"Chirst, John!" Margot moaned, and shivered under his touch.

His hands were on her hips, tracing the curve of her backside, and he inhaled her scent, that told him just how much she wanted him already.

A small, teasing kiss on her already wet folds - she gasped and squirmed.

He chuckled, exhaling some cool air to her sensitive flesh, and then gave her what she was silently asking - a kiss, long and deep, on her most sensitive area.

Margot groaned, and tried to spread her legs, but the jeans still on her knees made it impossible.

"Oh Christ, you're evil." Margot panted, her breath shallow.

Myers made a small laugh, and pulled his face away from her crotch.

"You want me to stop?"

"Jesus, if you do that, I'm gonna kill you."

Another kiss on her cunt, this time even deeper. He spread her slick folds with his fingers, and let his tongue find all the secret spots of pleasure, that made her gasp and squirm under his touch.

He had always liked doing this - pleasing a woman with his mouth. But Gods, it was so much better with Margot than with anyone before. Being able to read her mind, he instinctively knew just where and how to touch her. No guessing 'Is she gonna like this?' or 'What did I do wrong?'. All that he did, was just right, and Margot rewarded him by moaning out loud, trying to push her hips closer to his face, her legs trembling in her uncomfortable position.

"Please…!" her voice was shaking. "Please, John-"

He'd pushed her to the edge sucking relentlessly on her clit, and now she was indeed begging. Her cunt was so slick, dripping already, and the way she pleaded him, made his erection throb.

Myers pulled back, and stood up, grabbing her hips with both hands.

Fuck, seeing her bare backside, feeling the burning skin under his palms, was enough to make him almost lose it. Groaning he pushed his hips against her, and feeling the slickness of her crotch, even through the fabric of his pants, made him feel this primitive need that overtook his mind.

Panting, he opened his zipper, and pulled out his shaft. Margot gasped, feeling it against her bottom, and again tried desperately to spread her legs, but still the jeans held her legs together.

"Oh Christ!" Margot cursed, as he pushed inside.

Myers bit his lip, to not be too rough, to take her by force. She was so ready, so wet and warm, but Damn she felt tight like this! It was like his cock was a sword that cut her open, and he felt the flash of pain and pleasure echoing from her mind.

"Jesus!" he growled, and pushed in as slowly as he could. His hands on her hips were impatient, grabbing hard on her hip bones, and the urge to have her filled his soul. As soon as he felt she'd adjusted, he picked up a faster pace, thrusting deep and hard with every push.

She bent under his touch, her body answering his desperate, deep thrusts.

Seeing her like this, her delicate form bent against the bar stool, her hands still tied with his tie, made him feel an urge, unlike ever before. She was his, _he owned her_ , and he could do whatever he wanted to her.

A few times he slowed down his pace, to not come too quickly. But she was in his mind, begging for him to be _rough_ , to be _ruthless_ , to _fuck her_ , and he simply couldn't resist anymore.

"Christ, Margot!" he growled, through his teeth. Fuck, he needed to get deeper!

Hitting his hips hard against her crotch, he reached his fingers to her clit and pressed on it. It was enough to make her explode, and she came screaming, pulling him with her.

It took a few moments for him to come to, his head still spinning after their joint orgasm.

Breathing heavy, he leaned his forehead on her back, resting his hands on curves of her hips.

When he finally felt like he could stand without toppling over, he pulled out of her, and turned her around, wrapping his arms gently around her still shivering form.

"Where did that come from?" Margot breathed, her voice soft like a feather.

Myers chuckled, placing a small kiss on her forehead. "You once told me, I was too vanilla for you. Thought I'd prove you wrong."

"Well you most certainly did." she replied, resting her head against his chest. "My God, you're _great_ in bed- I mean, in kitchen."

Myers gently took her hands in his, and began opening the bond he'd made of his tie.

"Among many things." he said, freeing her hands. "Which I'm going to prove to you later, by making you supper."

She laughed, looking up to his eyes.

"Damn you John Myers, could you be any more perfect?"

"I can try." he smiled, cradling her in his arms. "So, you wanna take a shower? I'm great in bathroom too."

"I bet you are." she grinned. "Lead on."

* * *

Later that night, after showering and eating, and having some more mind blowing sex, they lay on the bed. They weren't touching now - sometimes it could get a bit exhausting to share every thought and feeling, but they were laying near each to each other, resting their heads on the pillows, their tired bodies between the sheets.

"So, who is Jay?" Myers asked then, out of the blue.

"Jay?" Margot replied, clearly surprised. "You mean Kat's brother Jay?"

"Yeah, I know he's Kat's brother, but who is he to you?"

"Oh John." Margot rolled on her back, sounding frustrated. "Please, don't tell me you're jealous. First the Manning thing, and now this."

"I am. A little bit." he confessed. It did no good to lie to her, she'd see the truth anyways.

"Come on. We live on different continents - this'll never work if you're jealous of every guy I happen to meet."

"I'm sorry." Myers said, blushing slightly. "I just… the way you said his name when talking about super powers-"

"Fine." Margot snapped. "I had a short fling with him, but it was nothing serious. And it was like two years ago, I hadn't even met you then."

"Right." he replied. "It's none of my business."

"No, it's not." she said. "John, I've had other guys - you know it. And you've had girlfriends. It's called the past - we all have it. It's wiser not to snoop around in each other's minds looking for things that might hurt us."

"I know. It's just-" he stopped mid sentence. It felt hard to say it out loud, though it was true.

"You're afraid that I'll leave you?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

That made Margot give him a smile that melted his heart. "You silly. I love you - I'll never leave you."

"You promise?" he asked.

"I promise."

Little did they know, that was a promise she'd break in less than two months.


	19. Part II: Pretty Woman

**Part II: My Baby left me!**

 **Chapter: Pretty Woman**

* * *

An exceptionally beautiful woman was walking on a hallway of BPRD. Her legs seemed to go on forever, she had an hourglass figure with tiny waist and full, gorgeous breasts. Her shiny, honey blond hair fell to her shoulders like a waterfall, and waved beautifully as she walked.

She was wearing stiletto heels, a white blouse, with just enough cleavage to reveal a bit more than was appropriate, and a tight, grey pencil skirt that hang to the curves of her hips.

Her name was Beatrix Connelly (though it obviously wasn't her real name), and she looked like a Victoria's Secret Angel.

There was something about her, that made all the guys stop whatever they were doing, and turn their heads as she walked past. Perhaps it was just her looks, or perhaps it was something more, but nevertheless she was fully aware of the effect she had on them. And it made her perfect, painted lips turn into a wicked smile.

She walked to the small canteen, and paid for her large coffee - black, no sugar. _Skinny_ _girls_ _don't_ _eat_ _breakfast_ , she reminded herself. _Stay focused. Keep your head in the game._

Every guy on the room stared at her, as she walked across the room, playing them all, simply by giving them small smiles and lingering glances.

This was so easy. Guys, they were all the same. She expected no problems in succeeding in her mission. These guys were all ready and ripe for the picking - all except for that red dumb-ass of a demon, and his blue pal who lived in a tank. But they weren't humans - that was the problem. Though she did have a plan for them too, it would just take a bit more time.

But just then something caught her attention, something unexpected, and it made her frown.

John Myers was sitting on a table, just as she had hoped for - but he wasn't alone.

There was a petite, pretty redhead sitting across the table, and from the way they held each other's hands, Beatrix Connelly could tell those two were in love.

She made a small snort.

 _Love_.

That would perhaps complicate things, but then again, she had never been afraid of a challenge.

She took a good look at the girl. Yes, she had a pretty face, but not much more. She was a petty little thing, with freckles, undisciplined hair and hardly any makeup. And she wasn't a human.

 _That's curious._ Connelly though. _I wonder if that wussy boyfriend of hers knows._

But just then Myers noticed her approaching, and there was a smile on his lips, and a small blush on his cheeks.

 _Good,_ she thought to herself. _He's so mine. Nothing that little freak can do about it._

"Hey, John!" she said, her voice just as sexy and perfect as her flawless looks. "I was looking for you. You're late."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I-" he was stammering. "I'm ready in no time. Please, sit with us."

"Sure." she sat down, in a chair by him - close enough to feel the warmth of his body. "I was afraid you'd forgotten about our meeting. So, who's your friend?"

"Oh, this is my girlfriend Margot Duval. She's spending a few days here. Margot, this is Beatrix Connelly, our new research agent." Myers introduced them, but neither woman offered a hand to shake on.

Something flashed in Margot's eyes, as she looked at Connelly, something dark and sinister, but it hardly had any effect on her.

Had she been one to scare easily, she wouldn't have gotten this far in her life. It took a lot more than a little telepath to cause her trouble. Besides, she had her ways to keep others out of her mind.

"Oh, that's nice." she said indifferently. "So, European, huh? When will you be going back home?"

"In three days." the redhead replied. "If you must know."

"So soon? Such a shame."

That was good news. The sooner that little bitch was out of the way, the better.

She turned back to Myers, ran her fingers through her blond hair and gave him a glance through her lashes - a glance that would've made any guy lose his balance.

"John, I'll meet you in the library. Don't take too long, we have work to do."

"Fine, I'm… uh, I'll be there in a minute."

He cleared his throat, and there were red spots on his cheeks, that didn't go unnoticed by Connelly.

Ah, this was almost too easy! She chuckled as she stood up, and turned to leave. That little boyscout wouldn't even know what hit him. It would be an absolute pleasure to cut his heart out of his chest, and watch him die.

He'd go down, with that red demon pal of his, and there was absolutely nothing their little girlfriends could do to stop it.

Apocalypse. The word had such a nice ring to it.

* * *

Margot watched as the bikini model lookalike walked away from them, and unfortunately so did Myers. His eyes followed her swinging hips just a bit too long for it to mean nothing, and Margot felt an ugly sting of jealousy in her chest.

"She is pretty." Margot said, her voice tense and sharp.

"Is she?" Myers replied, turning back to face her. "I don't-"

"You know she is." Margot rolled her eyes.

"I hadn't noticed."

"Oh come on, don't lie to me." She was getting annoyed now. "I know just what you were thinking."

She had almost shouted the last words, for something in the way that he spoke made her mad. He had this strange look in his eyes, a dreamy look, and it made Margot feel like he hadn't been listening to a word she said.

Now she'd gotten his interest though.

"You… you read my mind?!" he stammered. "You promised never to do that without my consent."

"Like I had to." she snapped. "It was written all over your face when you were staring at that 'silicon valley' of hers."

A hurt look flashed on his face. His beautiful features turned hard.

"That's mean."

"What? Accusing you of staring at her boobs, or calling them fake?"

"Both." he replied.

"Well, it's true nevertheless."

"I'm not going to get into a fight with you." Myers stated, finishing his coffee. "You're being ridiculous."

"You don't want to fight, and then you call me ridiculous?" Margot felt her anger stirring. "With what right? You were the one who drooled over her, right in front of my eyes-"

"I didn't drool. Come on, Margot! Beatrix is my colleague, nothing more."

"Beatrix, huh?" Margot raised an eyebrow. "I thought you said Botox."

Myers stared at her for a few heartbeats, his blue eyes narrowing. "Calling her names now? I didn't know you were this mean."

His words felt like an icy dagger in her heart, and it took all she had to keep on her hardened cover.

"Then perhaps you didn't know me that well after all."

"Huh." he stated. "Is that so? Just that you know, Margot, jealousy doesn't suit you well."

"I'm not jealous!" she snapped. "Not for that woman."

"Like Hell you are." Myers replied, and stood up gathering his empty plates. "And just last night you had the nerve to lecture me about it."

"That was totally different! You were jealous of something that happened years ago! I'm just telling you to stop staring at the balloons on that bimbo's chest!"

But there was something in Myers' eyes, that Margot hadn't seen before. He looked at her like she was a stranger, someone he didn't really like that much.

"It's my friend and colleague you're talking about." he noted. "You'd better watch your words."

"Is that so?" Margot stated, standing up too. "Well, go to her then, if you like her so much. Go and fuck her, for all I care!"

"You're unbelievable." Myers scorned. "I don't have time for this - some of us actually have work to do."

And just like that he turned his back to her, and walked away, leaving her behind, tears burning in her eyes.


	20. Part II: Chocolate and Ancient Gods

**Part II: My Baby left me!**

 **Chapter: Of Chocolate and Ancient Gods**

* * *

That's how Kat Wagner found her just moments later. Sitting on the breakfast table, tears in her eyes, still staring at her half empty coffee mug and a chocolate muffin that had barely been bitten once.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Kat asked. "Jet lag? Hangover?"

She shook her head, miserable. "It's me and John. We had this stupid fight."

"Ah." Kat replied, taking a seat too. "I wondered what was the matter with him. I just ran into him in the hallway, and he didn't even say hi. Seemed to be in a hurry."

"Yeah?" Margot looked up to Kat. "That makes me feel even worse."

"Why? Where was he heading to?"

"To silicon valley, apparently."

"Oh." said Kat, and raised an eyebrow. So that's what this was about. "I see. You met her then, right?"

"The Barbie Doll? Yeah, I did."

"I'm sorry, Margot. I should've warned you about her, but I didn't quite know-"

"It's not your fault that John decided to be an ass." Margot stated, and gave a long sigh, crumbling her muffin to pieces with her fingers.

"So what did he do exactly." Kat asked, fearing for the worst. "He didn't-"

"He _stared_ at her." Margot replied silently. "And he blushed - on that cute way he does when he looks at _me_."

Kat was silent for a few heartbeats. Stared and blushed? Surely Margot was overreacting a bit.

"Oh come on, Margot. You can hardly blame him for staring. I mean, you did see her, right? It's pretty hard _not_ to notice her looks."

Margot shook her head, desperate. "It's not that. Yeah, I know he's a guy, and I know he's all happy happy joy joy when he gets to see boobs… but there is something else. I have a bad feeling about this."

"About what?" Kat asked.

"About that woman, or whatever she is."

At least they were on the same page now, Kat thought. For she too shared Margot's concern about BPRD's latest recruit. Damn that Manning for hiring her!

"So you felt it too." she stated. "That there's something weird about her."

"Yes! God, I'm glad to hear you say it. The way John was defending her just there, made me feel like I was losing my mind or something. It was so obvious there's something fishy about her, and he didn't seem to notice it at all. On the contrary - he seemed to like her."

"Did you take a look at her mind?" Kat asked. She'd tried to do that several times, but her telepathy just wasn't strong enough.

"I tried." Margot shrugged. "But I couldn't. She was blocking me."

"Damn." said Kat. "Now I'm worried."

"Ah, it's probably nothing." Margot sighed. "Some people can keep me out, without even knowing they're doing it. It doesn't necessarily mean anything."

"But maybe it does."

"It might." Margot eyes were worried. "I can't believe she's working here. Why is that exactly?"

Kat sighed and rolled her eyes. "Blame Manning. Apparently Professor Broom is worried about something that's going on in Mexico, and we needed an expert on that area. And here we are, with Ms. Connelly. Though I have no idea where Manning found her."

"Well not in Mexico, that's for sure. Wouldn't there have been an actual Mexican expert on these matters?"

"One would think so. But hey… tell me more about what happened with John."

Margot sighed again, and looked absolutely miserable.

"Oh, I don't know. We were having breakfast, and everything was just fine. I mean, we had an _amazing_ night - you wouldn't believe the skills that guy has! He made me come like ten times-"

"Too much information!" Kat yelped. Christ, she'd have to be able to work with Myers. "Move on, please."

"Right." Margot said, blushing. "So, we were having breakfast, and then this botox woman appeared-"

"Ah, so you noticed it too?"

"Sure I did. No one has a face like that without some toxins in it." She shrugged. "Anyways, the moment she arrived, I lost John."

"What do you mean, you lost him?"

"Like he wasn't here anymore. With one wave of her hair she got him. As if he was under a spell, or something."

"A spell? Hardly." Kat made a small laugh. "So what if he fancies that girl? She looks like a porn star, and I get it that guys like that. But Myers is yours, you know it. You saved his life."

"Yeah." Margot replied, but her tone was still sad. "I know he loves me."

"Then I'm sure it's gonna be alright. All couples fight, you know."

"I hoped we wouldn't be like all couples. I hoped we'd be special."

"Come on, now. Eat your chocolate muffin." Kat stated. "It's gonna make you feel better. And after that you're gonna go and talk with Myers, and it's gonna be fine. You know, makeup sex can be great."

There was a small smile on Margot's lips, what had been Kat's intention.

"Sex with John is always great." she replied. "But to be able to have that again, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to apologize to him. I said some pretty nasty things to him, and by God, I suck at apologizing."

"Or you could just wipe the argument from his mind?" Kat suggested.

"Now, there's a thought." Margot laughed. "Or, I could just give him a nice blow job, and pretend we never had a fight at all? I do like giving them to him, you know."

"Yeah." Kat grimaced. "Again, too much information."

"Sorry." Margot shrugged. "But it is a great way to let off some steam. You should try it with Red."

"And who says I haven't? Kat stated, with an impish grin that managed to silence even Margot.

* * *

But Margot didn't go directly to Myers after the breakfast. She knew that he'd be in this 'meeting' with Beatrix Connelly, and she - quite correctly - suspected it wouldn't be a good idea to meet her again.

So instead she went out, did some shopping on a nearby mall, had a glass of wine by herself in a nice little restaurant while idly listening to people's thoughts around her. She wanted to give Myers some time to calm down, and for herself too. Besides, he'd been right to say he had work to do. Margot might have the day off, but for Myers this was just like any other day in the office.

It wasn't until late afternoon, that she returned to BPRD, and after scanning the building with her mind, found him in a small office room near Broom's library.

"Hey, can I come in?" she asked with a soft voice, leaning on the doorway.

He looked up from a huge book he'd been reading, and the look in his eyes made her heart skip a beat. He seemed hurt, and sad - in a way that only someone who loves you can look.

"Yeah, sure." he said, and closed the book with a thud.

He was wearing a nice suit, shirt and a tie - though not the Massimo Dutti from last night. Margot suspected that suit had to be dry cleaned before it could be used again. The thought made her blush slightly.

She walked to him, and leaned on the table.

"John, I'm sorry."

Damn, it was hard to say those words. She wouldn't have done it for anyone else but him.

"No, come on." Myers replied. He reached for her hand and took it in his. "I'm sorry. I was being an ass. I don't know what got into me."

"Yeah, you were an ass." she said. "Staring at her boobs and trying to deny it."

"I know." he frowned, clearly embarrassed. "I'm _really_ sorry about that."

"So you admit it then." Margot raised an eyebrow. "That you thought she was pretty."

"I admit, that I acted like a fool. And I am apologizing."

"Fine." Margot stated. "It's not like I was at my best either. It's just… something about her suited ill with me."

But Myers shook his head, and then looked her in the eye. "You know what, I don't want to talk about her anymore. It's not important. _She's_ not important. I don't want to spend these three days I have with you, fighting about something that's just insignificant. I hate fighting with you, you know."

"Yeah, me too." she said with a small smile. "Let's never do that again."

"Come here." he said.

His voice was low and gentle, and he pulled her closer. She climbed to sit on his lap, her legs on both side of his, their faces so close to each other, that she could taste the spearmint of his breath on her lips.

"I just hated seeing the way you looked at her." she confessed, burying her face to his neck. His smell was all cotton and old books, steel and mint, and she loved it. It made her feel like home, like her heart was at ease.

It was a strange feeling, a scary one, but something she'd begun to need.

He pulled her tight against his chest, his arms around her waist.

"Like I said, I don't know what got into me. I mean, I don't even find her that attractive-"

"Come on, stop the lying." Margot stated. "I don't want to fight again."

"But it's true. I think you're like a thousand times prettier than she is."

Margot's heart skipped a beat.

"Really?"

"Yeah." his voice was low and gentle. "I do. You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."

Margot stayed quiet for a few heartbeats, just breathing in his scent, feeling his hands on her back, caressing her softly. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and leaned even closer. "I'm liking what I'm hearing." she murmured softly. "Please, go on."

"You've got the best body." he breathed, letting his hands move slowly to her hips, and to her thighs. "I mean, do you have any idea how hot you are? I love it that you're shorter than me, and that you're so petite you fit like this in my lap."

"And?" Margot was smiling now. The warmth of his touch on her thighs and her hips made her long for all kinds of things. She leaned back to take a better look at him.

"And your face." he replied, blushing a bit. "I love it, too."

"Wasn't that poetic." Margot rolled her eyes, though smiling. "Try a bit harder, Thad."

He lifted his hand to her cheek, followed the line of her jaw to her lips. And he didn't need to speak out loud, for she shared his mind, and saw just what he was seeing.

That he thought, the green of her eyes was like the forest on a spring, that the freckles on her face made him happy every time he saw them, that he loved her pale skin for it looked like porcelain, and he adored the way her cheeks blushed when he kissed her.

His thoughts took Margot's breath away, and she gasped.

"Ok, that was better." she sighed, and let him pull her closer for a kiss.

Oh, how soft his lips were on hers! Margot made a small gasp, as she opened her mouth for his deep kiss. His hands on her hips pulled her closer, and she felt how he got aroused, his evident hard on soon pressing against her inner thigh.

Margot broke the kiss, her heart pounding.

"Christ, John." she breathed. "I'm really liking the way you apologize."

"And I'm really liking the way you take my mind off work." he groaned, and tried to pull her closer for another kiss, but the word 'work' had made Margot distracted.

"So, you still have work to do?"

Myers sighed. "Ah. Always."

"Can I help?"

"I don't know. Unless you're an expert in the ancient Gods of the Aztecs?"

"Let me see." she said, frowning. "That's what you're reading about?"

"Yeah. There's something going on in Mexico City, or rather a bit outside of it. In Teotihuacan. I'm searching for some clues, going through these books."

"In that case you've got to dig deeper. You do know Teotihuacan wasn't built by Aztecs, right?" Margot turned the pages of the old book. "They just named it Teotihuacan, 'The place where Gods were born', for it was ancient already when they found it."

"Yeah, I know. But Aztecs did live on that area for a long time, and they do have written history, unlike the builders of Teotihuacan. Besides, I had to start from somewhere."

"Right." Margot said, and turned to face him again. She placed a small kiss on his forehead to smooth the worried wrinkles off. "But you're not going to get to the bottom of that today. Come on, it's almost dinnertime. You're going to take me out for dinner."

"I am?" he asked, looking up to her eyes.

"Oh yes, you are. Someplace nice, I think." Margot leaned closer and to give a small kiss on his nose. "And after that we're going to have awesome sex at your place."

"Yeah?" he grinned. "I'm liking this plan."

"And as promised, I'll teach you the meaning of the word 'kinky'."

"When did you promise that?" he laughed.

"After you had tied me down and fucked me on the barstool? Or at least I meant to say it. That next time I'd tie _you_ down and show you the meaning-"

"- of the word 'kinky'. Right." He nodded, his hands still caressing her thighs. "I have a vague memory of you mentioning something like that."

"So, what are you waiting for?" she grinned. "I'm starving."


	21. Part II: No means no!

**Part II: My baby left me!**

 **Chapter: No means no!**

* * *

John Myers lay on his bed, and thought about Margot.

It was the fifth month of their long distance relationship, and due to horrible schedules and some really unfortunate and ill-timed vampire attacks on New York City, Myers had missed his opportunity to spend a weekend with Margot in Brussels last month.

So, it had been almost two months since they'd seen each other, and he was feeling it in every inch of his body.

 _She'll be here tomorrow._ Myers thought. _Tomorrow by this time, we'll be having sex on this very bed._

Or in kitchen. Or in bathroom. Or… wherever. There was no telling, knowing Margot. And that was just what made him anxious.

Christ, he needed her so bad! He made a low desperate growl, running his fingers through his hair. Just the thought of the things they'd do, had been enough to make him hard, and make his mind wander.

He was supposed to be working - reading and replying his emails, but with a sigh he closed the laptop. He couldn't work now, as his mind kept going back to the last time Margot had been here.

She had indeed tied him down, and not just that - made him use a blindfold too. It had been a first for Myers, and he hadn't been really sure about it beforehand, but now… Well, he had to admit he'd loved every second of it. Actually, it had felt more than just a game. With Margot, there was always this real sense of danger, of power, of something sinister lurking under the surface. He never knew quite what to expect with her, which had made their little game… well, exciting.

He was quite willing to try one of her kinky games again - and he knew so was Margot. Perhaps they should add something to it, though? She had asked him if he'd like to spank her sometime (a thing he had refused to do), but now he wondered if he should surprise her.

But just as he was busy with this thought, there was a loud knock on the door.

"Just a second." he shouted, cursing in his mind.

It was late already, and he really didn't want to see anyone right now - still a way too aroused by his thoughts - but it might be important.

It usually was important in BPRD at this hour.

Gathering himself, he got up, (rather stiffly) walked to the door and opened it.

"Hey, John." Beatrix Connelly smiled. "I hope this isn't a bad time?"

"Umm, no." Myers replied, and let her enter. "So, what is it? Is there some news of the-"

"Of the Teotihuacan case?" She shrugged. "Not exactly. Things seem to have calmed down there, for whatever reason. There was something else I needed you for."

"Yeah?" He asked, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

It was her presence that made him feel this way - he couldn't deny that he found her attractive. The exact reason he had tried to avoid her as much as possible lately. "Please, have a seat. You want a drink, or something?"

"A coke would be fine, if you have diet coke?" she replied, but didn't sit down.

"Yeah, sure." he said, and walked to the fridge. He picked a can of diet coke, and turned back to face Connelly - just to froze on his place.

She was looking at him, with a sinful grin on her blood red lips - and she'd opened the buttons of her blouse.

Myers felt the can flipping from his fingers, and falling to the floor.

"What are you-?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

"What does it look like?" she purred, and took of the blouse, letting it fall to her feet. Slowly she pulled down the straps of her bra, and unclasped it.

Myers made a desperate groan, and turned his back on her.

Jesus, that woman had gorgeous breasts! But by God, he wished he hadn't seen them.

"Please, Beatrix." He managed. "Put on your clothes. I don't feel that way about you."

"Oh?" she laughed. "But I think you do. Look at me, and tell me you don't want me."

He didn't turn to look at her, shutting his eyes.

"I **don't** want you."

"You're a bad lier. Anyone ever told you that?"

"You should leave." he stated.

"Why?"

"Because I have a girlfriend."

"That little redhead?" She scorned. "Well, she isn't here, is she?"

"That's hardly the point."

"Then what is the point?"

"I don't want to hurt her." he said. "I love her."

"Always the gentleman." her voice, low and sexy, replied. She'd walked close to him while talking, and without warning, Myers suddenly felt how she wrapped her hands around his waist, and pressed her gorgeous, full breasts against his back.

"Christ!" he groaned, and stepped away from her. "I told you to leave, Beatrix."

But he had turned to look at her, to speak to her, and it had been a mistake.

She had removed her skirt too, and was now standing in front of him, wearing nothing but her high heels, and stay up socks up to mid thigh. And she looked heavenly.

She had a body of a bikini model - legs to die for, a tiny waist, large, perky breasts, and then her hips… Christ, they called for his hands and he felt helpless.

Suddenly his throat felt very dry, and his cheeks blushed. Her scent in the air around him was intoxicating, making him feverish. His thoughts felt odd and foggy, and he shook his head, trying to clear them.

Yeah, Margot really was not here, was she?

But Beatrix was. And she _wanted_ him, for some reason he couldn't understand, and it made him feel flattered. He wasn't used to being approached by girls this hot.

"I know you want me." she said, with a low, sexy voice. "Why don't you touch me, John?"

"Oh, please, no. I can't do that." he groaned, and stepped away from her, walked to her clothes and picked them up. He held them out, and desperately trying not to look at her, continued: "I asked you to leave. Please, get dressed and just go."

His voice was no more than a desperate plea.

For there was something weird going on, and he didn't trust himself.

His hands were shaking, his groin ached and he felt hot all over - an agonizing need making it hard to think straight.

But Connelly didn't seem to notice his discomfort, or at least she didn't care about it. She walked to him, and gently grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at her.

"Come on, John. I know you want me. Let's not pretend otherwise."

Her eyes were huge, her pupils dark and wide like the ocean, and he felt like falling.

"Yeah." he heard his voice saying. "I _do_ want you."

 _What are you doing! No, you ass! Stop it!_

"Then touch me." she breathed, and pulled his hand to her breast. And he couldn't help it, he palmed her soft, full breast and groaned, as he felt her hardened nipple on his palm.

 _Just push her away - you can't do this! This is wrong._

But suddenly he couldn't remember why it was wrong. She wrapped her slender arms around his neck, and silenced the nagging voice in the back of his head, by kissing him. Christ, her lips were full and soft, like her breast in his hand, and he was lost. He felt a primitive need, like a burning fire inside of him, and groaning he pushed her against the wall, making her gasp.

He wasn't himself.

This wasn't happening to him, not really. Perhaps this was a dream, for it felt like one. He didn't remember his name anymore, nor hers, but it hardly mattered. All that mattered was the way her slender body against his made him feel. His heart was pounding, his core aching with need, and he let his tongue find hers.

 _Stop this you damn fool! What's the matter with you? What about Margot?!_

That last thought suddenly pierced the fog of his thought, like a bullet, and he felt the dream shattering.

What the Hell _was_ he doing?!

He forced himself to broke the kiss and step back.

"Christ, no!" He cursed. "What's going on? I don't want to do this!"

She frowned, her beautiful blue eyes turned hard and cold, and something like anger flashed in her gaze - but it was gone in a heartbeat.

"Stop resisting." It was a command, no doubt about it. "It's time for you to do as you're told."

"But I-"

"Shut up." She snapped, and he did - he had no choice.

Her hands were on his waist now, feeling his tight abdomen, and her scent of spices and exotic flowers was on him - and he felt his mind slipping again.

Who was he again? And why had it been so important to stop kissing her?

It all felt kind of distant now, for she was touching him again, opening the buttons of his jeans, and he felt like reality was slipping away from his grasp.

"Oh Lord…!" He cursed, as she slid her fingers into his underwear, to find his aching shaft.

It felt so good, her cool fingers on his cock, that was burning with lust. He had to bite his lip not to lose it.

His hands refused to push her away, as she knelt before him, and took him into her mouth.

"No…!" he pleaded, some part of him still remembering, that he should. "Please, don't-"

But she sucked him deep and hard, and it felt too good. His mind was an empty space, with nothing left but the pleasure she gave him, nothing but this moment, as if he didn't really exist anymore.

Except that there was something, like a shadow on the back of his mind, a glimpse that cut through his clouded thoughts.

A memory:

 _He is standing in a room, that isn't this room. It looks like a hotel room, and it's obviously night, for it's dark and his bed is unmade. But he isn't in the bed. He's leaning on the wall, and there is a woman kneeling in front of him. A young, slender redhead, wearing black leather pants and a latex top. And she's giving him the blowjob of a lifetime._

 _Christ, he can almost remember her name._

" _Look up, look up to me, and I'll remember." he thinks, and she hears him. She looks up to his face, her green eyes glimmering, and he makes a gasp._

 _Margot!_

 _And then, another memory._

 _They are at the airport, saying goodbyes. Margot is so close to him, that he feels her scent of roses and cinnamon in the air he inhales. There is a worried look in her eyes, as she looks him in the eye._

" _Be careful, John." she says, silently. "Just be careful, alright?"_

 _And he knows, Margot is talking about Beatrix._

" _Do you trust me?" he asks._

" _With my life."_

 _He pulls her close, wraps his strong arms around her petite shape, and comforts her with his closeness. "I promise." he says. "You've got nothing to worry about. I won't mess this up."_

That did it.

Myers gasped, snapping out of the dream and the fog.

"No!" he shouted, grabbing Connelly by her shoulders, and pushing her away with force, so that she fell to the floor.

"I told you I didn't want it!" he groaned through his teeth. "No means _no!_ "

Still panting, he forced his shaft back into his underwear, and buttoned up his jeans. Without even looking at her, he walked to the door and opened it.

"Get lost while I'm gone." he snapped. "And don't you ever come near to me again."

Connelly got up from the floor, gracefully as a feline, and she was laughing.

"You fool." she stated venomously. "I already got what I wanted."

But Myers didn't stay to listen. He rushed out of the room, feeling like a complete failure.

Groaning he ran his fingers through his hair, in desperation.

 _What the fuck happened?_

 _What have you done!?_

But he knew the answer already - he had messed up like never before. And he'd be sure to pay for it.


	22. Part II: A Slap on the Face

**Part II: My baby left me!**

 **Chapter: A slap on the face**

* * *

The next morning a plane landed at the Newark airport, bringing one very happy passenger with it.

In her anxiety to finally see her lover - God, it had been an eternity! - Margot had been overjoyed, when the airline company had called her yesterday telling they'd overbooked the flight and she'd have to take an earlier one. So instead of afternoon, she arrived to Newark already in the morning.

Yeah, she was tired and jet-lagged, but still she was almost hopping of excitement.

She hadn't told John - It would be so much fun to surprise him!

An hour or so later, she was already walking the familiar corridors of the BPRD headquarters. She knew she'd most likely find Myers in professor Broom's library, as it was morning and he'd be working. Besides, she'd scanned the building when getting underground - just to make sure.

Quietly she opened the door, and took a peek inside.

A fire in the fireplace, the massive bookcases full of old books, Abe's tank at the one wall of the large room - everything felt familiar and cosy. She'd come to love this place already, a home away from home. Perhaps this would be her real home one day too, she thought to herself. She'd given some thought to John's proposal that she should move in with him. This long distance thing wasn't suiting her too well, nor to him, she knew.

Margot noted there were four people in the room: Professor Broom, Abe, Clay and Myers, gathered around a dark wooden table, discussing something that seemed important as they didn't notice her at first. But it was fine this way. Margot allowed herself a short moment of spying, admiring Myers' toned figure. He was wearing a suit, which always made her tick, and he was every bit as gorgeous as she'd remembered.

Gods, her heart skipped a beat with just a sight of him.

It was a weird feeling - being in love. This was the first time for her, and even if it scared her, she'd learnt to embrace it too.

"Bonjour!" she said, and stepped in grinning. "Greetings from Europe!"

Surprised, they all turned to see her.

"Good morning, Ms. Duval. Always a pleasure to have you here." Replied Professor Broom. "How is Europe?"

"You know, Professor, the same." She shrugged. "Full of vampires, witches and angry spirits, but Iku-Turso won't be bothering anyone any time soon."

Professor Broom gave her a warm, fatherly smile, and Margot answered it, sure - but then turned her eyes to Myers.

"What's the matter, hon?" she asked, seeing his pale face. "Why aren't you kissing me already?"

"I, um-" Myers stammered, but Margot was too impatient to wait for his reply. She tiptoed to give him a kiss on the lips, wrapping her arms around his neck.

But just as her lips met his, she sensed it.

Someone else had kissed these lips.

Their minds merged, and the horrifying images rushed to her mind. Images of John pushing Connelly against the wall, eagerly pressing his hungry lips on hers, his hand grabbing her bare breasts. And then, her fingers opening his jeans, and pulling out something that was meant for Margot only.

She couldn't bear to see any more. Gasping with disbelief and shock, she broke the kiss, and stepped away from him, her whole form shaking with emotion.

"What have you done?" she breathed, barely audible.

"It's not what you think, I swear." he managed to say, but his voice failed him as he continued: "Can we please go to my room and talk this in private, Margot. Please!"

But his request was like a slap on her face. She felt her anger stirring, the kind of anger she knew could easily burn this place down.

"In private..? You dare to ask for privacy, you prick?"

"John, would you mind telling us what's going on?" interrupted Abe, glancing from Myers to Margot.

But Margot was laughing now, a dark, venomous laughter, that twisted her soul.

"So you didn't tell anyone then, John?" she hissed. "About your little adventure with Miss Connelly. How you kissed her, how you let her suck your dick?"

"Margot, come on, it wasn't-" Myers tried, but a murderous glance from Margot silenced him where he stood.

"You son of a bitch!" She cursed, shaking with anger now. "I trusted you, you were my whole world, I - God damn it - I saved your miserable life, and this is what I get? I knew _she_ was rotten, but I never, ever thought you could fall for that piece of plastic wickedness!"

"Please, believe me! It's not how it seems, I swear!" Myers shouted in despair, but Margot wasn't listening anymore. It took all she had to keep her anger under control, and she felt it slipping out of her grasp.

The whole room was now shaking with the emotion she tried to chain. The bookshelves trembled, and a few heavy items fell to the floor with a loud thud, Making Professor Broom frown.

"I don't want to hear your excuses." Margot groaned. "There's nothing you can say to undo what you've done."

"But I-"

"Shut up!" she shrieked, and clenched her fists. An ancient statue of a god long forgotten exploded on a nearby shelf - finally making even Myers stop trying to talk.

Margot was breathing heavy, her whole form trembling with chained emotion. Deep in her chest, she felt the excruciating pain of her heart breaking. She knew this pain would kill her, but there was nothing she could do about it.

 _You should've known better._ She thought to herself. _Did you really think a guy like him could truly love you. You fool!_

"It's over, John." she breathed, tears burning behind her eyes. "You'll never see me again."

With those words she turned to leave, but Myers ran after her.

"No, please-" he grabbed her arm to stop her, and her rage flashed in her soul like an A-bomb.

With an animal cry, she waved her hand, and a fierce telekinetic blow struck Myers in the face. Blood burst from his nose and cut lip, as he fell to the floor.

"Don't you ever try to touch me again, or I swear I'll kill you!" Margot hissed to his face, and rushed out of the room.

Christ, the room was spinning!

Myers was spitting blood to the carpet, trying desperately not to black out, as he felt someone grabbing his arm.

"Hey, Myers, you alright?" asked Clay's voice. "Can you stand up?"

"Ungh, yeah." he groaned. "Yeah, I think so."

He let Clay help him up, even if he had to lean on him to stay on his feet. Damn, Margot had hit him hard! He wiped his face with his sleeve, but the blood just kept flowing.

"Jesus!" Clay cursed, taking a look at his face. "You'll be needing some stitches. Abe, give me a hand here-"

"No." Myers groaned, spitting away some more blood. "No, I have to talk to her."

"I wouldn't if I were you." Clay stated. "She seemed pretty pissed at you."

"Yeah." Myers muttered. "Kinda noticed."

"So what did you do?"

Myers turned to look at Clay, trying to stop his nosebleed with a handkerchief he'd found from his pocket.

What _had_ he done, exactly?

He wasn't still quite sure about it, but he knew well enough that there was no way he could let Margot go without even a chance to explain it to her. If she left him like this, he'd never be able to live with himself.

Groaning of pain, he shook his head, and rushed to the door to go after Margot.

"That's a bold move." Clay muttered. "I bet she'll rip his head off."

"Yes, she seemed rather angry with him." Abe replied.

"So, what do you think that was all about?" Clay raised an eyebrow. "You think Myers really did something with Beatrix?"

"If Margot saw it in his mind, it must be true." Abe stated. "But I'd be curious to know what made him do something so foolish."

"You kidding me? You have seen Beatrix, right?" Clay gave a chuckle. "But hey… this isn't a fair world. After I've tried to get it on for five months now, Myers gets to have her?"

"Well, I don't think—" but before Abe could say any more, professor Broom interrupted them.

"Enough of this already!" He snapped, frowning. "I am too old and too tired for these things… Besides, we've got work to do."

And that put an end to their gossiping.


	23. Part II: Love is for Children

**Part II: My baby left me!**

 **Chapter: Love is for children**

* * *

A few minutes later Margot was already knocking at Kat Wagner's door.

It took a while before the door opened and she saw Kat's still sleepy face in front of her. She was in her blue form, her pointed ears visible through the mess of her black hair.

"Hey, Kat. Can I come in?" Margot breathed. "It's an emergency."

"Yeah, sure!" Kat replied, and let her enter. "What's going on?"

"The end of the world." Margot sob. "Or that's how it feels."

At that exact moment they both saw Myers who had caught up with Margot, in the nearest corner. His face was covered in blood, and it had stained his nice shirt and suit, and everything about him told Kat just how much agony he was in.

"And don't let him in!" Margot snapped, rushing past Kat.

"Really? Oh… Sorry, Myers!" Kat said apologetically, as she slammed the door to his face.

They heard as he groaned, and banged the door with his hands.

"No, Kat, please, let me in! I must speak to Margot!" his voice echoed from the hallway. Kat found it rather hard to ignore, but the murderous look in Margot's eyes told her to do just that.

"Don't you dare to open that door!" Margot hissed. "I'll kill him if you do."

"Okay… But wanna tell me why?"

"The bastard cheated on me."

Kat couldn't believe her ears. "What!?"

"Uhhuh." Margot nodded. "With Botox."

"You've got to be kidding me."

"I wish." Margot breathed. "I saw it in his mind. The way he pushed her against the wall, and kissed her-"

"No, I won't believe it." Kat said sternly. "He loves you."

"Yeah? Well, it would seem that love doesn't mean the same thing to him than it does to me. I saw it in his mind, Kat. He let her suck his cock."

"Oh Christ." Kat cursed. "That bastard. I mean, I knew that bitch had all the guys drooling over her, but still-"

But there was again loud bangign at the door, and Myers' strained voice echoed from the hallway: "Margot, please! Kat, let me in!"

Margot gave Kat a venomous glance.

"I'll take care of it." Kat replied, an anger burning in her chest.

She walked to the door, and opened it, just to see Myer's blood stained, miserable face only inches from hers.

"You piece of shit." she hissed to his face. "I told you once that if you hurt my friend, I'd kill you."

"Kat, come on. I just want to talk to her. I need to explain-"

"There seems to be nothing to explain, Myers." her voice was cold and sharp as steel. "You either stick your dick into someone's mouth, or you don't. So, tell me, did you or didn't you?"

It took a few uncomfortable seconds of silence for him to answer, but when he did, there was nothing but despair in his voice.

"I did."

That was it. Kat raised her hand, and slapped Myers on the face, hard, the sharp claws of her blue fingers cutting the skin of his cheek. He groaned, losing his balance, almost falling to his knees.

"That was for Margot!" Kat hissed. "Now, get lost. If you try to near her again, I'll kill you myself. And you know I mean it."

Myers finally seemed to take the hint - or perhaps it was just the fact that he was spitting blood again and realized that he was indeed in need of stitches - but either way, he stepped back from the door. Without even looking at him again, Kat slammed the door shut, and walked back to Margot.

"Thanks." Margot said with a faint voice.

"Don't mention it." Kat shrugged. "You would've done the same for me."

Margot was sitting on Kat's bed, her tiny form shaking. She looked like a scared child, her knees pulled to her chest, she was hugging them as if to keep herself from falling apart. There were tears in her eyes, and they began to fall to her cheeks.

"I knew it was a mistake." she breathed, through her teeth. "To fall in love. I should've known better."

Kat didn't quite know what to say to that, so she stayed silent, but sat close to her friend, offering comfort - and a handkerchief. She wished she'd have chocolate - there was nothing like a box of chocolates to mend a broken heart, to her experience.

"Oh, Kat, what am I going to do?" Margot cried, after some time of sobbing and wiping her tears.

"I'm not one to give you good advice on this." Kat shrugged. "But there are two courses of action, no? Either you can forgive him, or you can't."

"I can't." Margot replied, sternly. "I don't believe I'll ever be able to forgive him for cheating on me. That's just a deal breaker for me."

"Yeah, for me too." Kat nodded. If Hellboy ever did anything of sort, she knew her heart would never heal.

"So, it's over then." Margot's voice was a thin whisper. "I've lost him. And this time for good."

"I'm so sorry." Kat said, and she truly was.

It had been great to have two of her best friends falling in love. Margot's visits in BPRD had been like a breeze of fresh air, bringing something new, fun and different to their lives. She'd enjoyed the nights they'd spent together, her and HB, Margot and Myers, watching movies, chatting, eating and drinking too much Champagne and Belgian Blonde. Life had been good, almost like a normal life, with love and friends, and not just work, almost dying and end of the world stuff.

And now it was over?

Margot would leave this place to never come back? Just thinking about it made Kat feel miserable. She'd miss her friend dearly.

And then there was the business with Myers. How was she supposed to be able to work with him after this?! Kat felt her anger stirring again. Damn that kid for ruining everything! Their friendship would _never_ be the same again. Myers would be lucky if she didn't kill him the next time she saw him.

"So, what are you going to do now?" Kat finally asked, after a rather long time of listening Margot's silent sobbing. "Do you want to stay here for the weekend anyways? You're welcome to sleep on my couch, and I promise to get us some chocolate ice cream. Ben and Jerry's if you wish."

But Margot shook her head, miserable, wiping her tears to the napkin.

"Ah, thanks but no thanks." Her voice was thick of all the crying. "I can't stay here, not now."

"But your return flight is not until monday, right?"

"I'll get it changed, to get the first flight back to Europe. I can't wait to get off this continent."

"Right." Kat said. She knew Margot had her ways to get what she wanted, and if she wanted a ticket to a plane, she'd get it. "You want me to take you to the airport?"

"No, thanks. I'll be fine." She stated, and got up from the bed. "But I'm gonna miss you, Kat. Please, come and visit me sometime, alright?"

"I promise." she gave her friend a comforting smile. "And you're gonna show me the best pubs of Brussels, right?"

"Right." Margot tried to smile through her tears, failing miserably.

But just then there was a knock on the door, which made both of the girls frown.

"I swear, if it's John, I'll rip his head off." Margot snorted.

"Christ, if it really is him, he's even more stupid than I thought." Kat replied, and walked to see who disturbed them.

But it was Hellboy.

Kat's heart skipped a beat, as it did every time she saw him. He was so damn handsome and tall, and bulky, and just seeing him made her weak on the knees.

"Kat, I need to talk to you." he said, his voice all low and hoarse.

"Red, hey-" she glanced at Margot, who had already picked up her small bag, and was walking towards the door. "This is kind of a bad time. Can we talk later?"

"It's kinda important." Hellboy grunted, and suddenly Kat realized there was something wrong. He seemed a way too serious, and there was something dark in his yellow eyes.

"It's alright, Kat. Just let him come in." that was Margot. "I was leaving anyways."

"You sure?" Kat asked. "That you don't want me taking you to the airport?"

"I'm sure, alright." Margot tried to smile. "Just because my love life sucks, doesn't mean yours has to." She tiptoed to give Kat a hug, and then she was gone, walking away from them, her slender form soon disappearing around the corner.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" she asked, letting Red enter her room. "What's happened?"

"Um." Hellboy said, clearly feeling uncomfortable. "It's about us. You see, I've been thinking…"

And suddenly Kat had a very bad feeling about the things to come.

* * *

An hour later Margot was already feeling more angry than sad, more enraged than self-pitying, cursing every man on the planet.

Yes, her heart was broken, but by God she wasn't going to let it kill her.

 _You are Margot Duval,_ she told herself. _You don't need love. You don't need anyone! Love is for the weak, love is for humans, it's nothing but a lie, invented to comfort children. You'll do better without it._

But then, why did it hurt so much to lose John?

What was this excruciating pain in her chest, that made it hard to breath, that felt like her heart was being cut into pieces?

Angrily she shook her head, to get his image out of her head.

 _It wasn't real. It never was. He's just like every other guy, so just stop thinking about him already!_

She had managed to get a ticket to the next flight to London, by using only a bit of her special charm on the salesgirl, and was just about to head through the security check, when something caught her attention.

There was a sudden, loud 'bamf' behind her, and people screamed in disbelief.

Yeah, there was just one thing in the universe to make a sound like that, she knew, and rightly so. She turned around just to see her blue skinned friend, surrounded by a likewise blue cloud of smoke - the evidence of her teleportation.

In a heartbeat Margot reached to erase the sight from people's minds, and things calmed down. She hoped Kat's sudden appearance hadn't been caught on a security tape, but then again, there was nothing she could do about that.

"Kat! What are you doing?" Margot snapped at her friend, who'd taken her human form by now. "You know it's hard for me to deal with so many minds at once!"

"Sorry… I just had to get here ASAP and this was the fastest way I could think of. You already bought the ticket?"

"Yeah, the plane leaves in 45 minutes." Margot answered, confused. Kat being here made no sense at all. "Why?"

"Well, we'd better make haste then." Kat Wagner said in a gloomy voice and made her way to the counter, handing out her passport. "The same trip to me too, please. And get me a seat by her, okay?"


	24. Part II: Some more Tequila!

**Part II: My baby left me!**

 **Chapter: Some more Tequila!**

* * *

"You ass!" said Abe to Hellboy. "If she never comes back, it's entirely your fault."

Abe was swimming around his water tank, giving angry glances at both of the men - Myers and Hellboy - sitting in their armchairs on the other side of the glass.

"Will you stop rubbing it in, Blue?" Hellboy grunted. "I know, alright! But I was trying to do the right thing."

"The right thing?" Abe replied, and stopped to stare at his friend. "And how did it ever occur to you, that Kat would appreciate you making her decisions for her?"

"Oh, come on, Abe." Hellboy growled. "Me and Kat, we're no match made in Heaven, that's for sure."

"And what are you referring to, exactly? Your demon heritage?"

"Yeah. And other stuff."

"Well about that, Kat's own bloodline isn't any better." Abe stated. "A complicated mix of elven blood, mutant genes from another reality, and a hint of demon blood too. Why would you feel inferior to that?"

"It's not just that."

"Then what is it?" Abe persisted. "You have managed to repel your girlfriend, who also happens to be a very good friend of mine, so I do think that you owe me an explanation."

"Alright, alright!" Hellboy rubbed his forehead, looking suffering. "Sometimes it's just that… she's all pretty, and educated and all. And it makes me wonder, why would she wanna be with me? I don't know if she really…. loves me."

It was clear, that it had been an effort to make this confession, and it sure as Hell left both Abe and Myers speechless for a few heartbeats.

"You've got to be kidding me." said Myers. "If you felt uncertain of that, you should've asked me. I could've told you that she's nuts about you."

"And I would have told you the same." Abe blinked a few times. "She loves you, you stupid big ape, that much is sure - or loved, in past tense. After your actions this morning, it might be that she's lost to us."

"I didn't mean for her to take off!" Hellboy stated. "I just-"

"Told her it wouldn't work and that you didn't believe she really loved you?" stated Clay, who had just stepped into the room, bringing a sixpack of beer. "Real smooth, Red."

"Just give me a beer and shut up." Hellboy replied with a dark tone, and Clay did.

"I cannot understand either one of you fools." Abe continued his lecture, glancing from Hellboy to Myers. "You both had a wonderful thing going on with a beautiful woman, and you chose to ruin it? I honestly cannot say which one of you is more stupid."

"I am." Myers groaned.

"What got into you, I'll never understand." Abe stated. "Margot was right to be upset. I didn't know you had it in you, to cheat on a woman who loves you."

"Neither did I." he groaned in self loath. "I deserved her wrath, alright."

His face still hurt, and there were bruises and cuts, band-aids and stitches, and he knew he'd gained a couple of new scars. Not that they were his most acute concern right now.

"So, care to tell us what really happened with Beatrix?" That was Clay. He offered Myers a beer, which he took gratefully.

"No." he replied, taking a sip of his beverage. "No way in Hell am I going to talk about that."

"Come on, Myers." Clay persuaded. "You got some action with her, right? And now that Margot's gone… you gonna go for her?"

"Nope." Myers shook his head. "The less I see her, the better. She's all yours if you want her, Clay, but let me give you a little piece of advice."

"Yeah?" Clay leaned closer, taking a gulp of his beer.

"Be careful." he said. "Be very careful."

"That's what Kat said to me about her too." Hellboy grunted.

"And Margot to me." Myers said, gloomily. "Should've listened."

"Ah, you are both idiots." Abe stated. "Please, go and finish your drinks someplace else."

* * *

 **At the same time, in 36 000 ft, over the Atlantic Ocean.**

"And the bastard gave you no reason at all?" Margot asked, astonished.

"Well, he tried to feed me some crap about doing this for my own good, but I really don't get it." Kat replied, looking absolutely miserable and heartbroken.

The British Airways' business class was upscale, and the large leather seats as cosy as they could be, but neither of the girls was in a mood to really enjoy it.

"Yeah… At least what John did was purely for his own good." Margot's voice was dark. "I guess I now know what kind of a man he really is."

"All men are bastards." was Kat's grim response.

"Amen to that."

"So why do we care so much about them then?"

"Cause we ain't drunk enough, my friend." noted Margot, for she had suddenly started wanting a huge bottle where she could drown, if not Myers, then at least all her sorrows.

"You know it's not wise to drink while flying." Kat protested.

"Yeah, but this isn't just any flight, Kat. You should know by now that there is only one thing that can fix a broken heart." Margot educated her friend with a motherly tone.

"Huh? And what is that? Chocolate ice cream?"

"You know nothing, Jon Snow." Margot quoted. "It's Tequila. And are we gonna get lots of it now!"

She gave Kat an impish grin, and turned to signal the stewardess.

After five hours or so of constant drinking, both of the girls started to be in quite a condition. Kat had apparent difficulties in keeping her human form on - her skin was more bluish than a healthy person could ever have, and in her left hand there were only three fingers. Also her hair seemed to have problems staying straight and it was amusingly curling on the right side of her head. Margot, on the other hand, was so drunk that it was rather difficult of understand her speech. She kept mixing French and English, and occasional German word to top it.

And of course, after swearing that they would simply have fun, drown their sorrows, and that they wouldn't in any case even mention the 'bastards' during the whole trip, what were they discussing?

With a huge effort Margot managed to speak and to hold the glass at the same time.

"And I whish thath he'd at leasht bheen loushy in bed, or that I could shay that he washn't a hottie. Mais non! Il etait le plus beaux… I mean… the ultimate hottie, sho to shpeak."

"Yeah… So was HB, God damned it…That bastard…Burp." answered Kat with a clearer tone but at least as drunk, burping loudly, which made the both young women burst into a hysterical laughter.

"If I ain't gonna missh hish pathetic shoul, I'm sho gonna missh that hot butt of hish." Margot slurred. "And the dick he hash, oh, you should've sheen it. Just beautiful! I swhear, le plus magnifique-"

"And his tail… You have no idea what one can do with a tail, Margot." marked Kat mournfully.

"Yeah..? Est-ce-que... I mean… I _do_ know. Oh Jay! I should have shtayed with _him_." Margot stammered, but just as the conversation was about to get interesting, they were rudely interrupted by the stewardess.

"I'm awfully sorry, but the other passengers have made some complains about you two, so I have to ask that you talk a bit less loudly so that they can get some rest."

"Oh..?" Margot raised an eyebrow. "And where are the drinksh that I ashked for?"

"Unfortunately I can't serve you any more drinks either. My apologies."

"Ish that sho...? Well I think you _do_ want to sherve ush more drinksh." Margot insisted, concentrating as hard as she could, considering the state of her intoxication.

The stewardess blinked a few times, and then smiled broadly.

"I _do_ want to serve you more drinks. Tequila, was it?"

"Attagirl." Margot grinned. "And bring the whoole bottle while you're at it."

"I'll bring you the whole bottle, while I'm at it." the merry stewardess left, smiling widely and returned in a moment with an unopened bottle of Tequila.

The other passengers of the business class watched her go with a look of disbelief and judgement, but she didn't seem to notice.

"Obi Wan has taught you well." noted Kat.

"Cheersh to that." Margot replied, and uncorked the bottle.

"But hey, perhaps she did have a point. We've been keeping everyone awake."

"Ah, let me take care of that." said Margot, and shut her eyes for a few seconds. And just like that, people around them fell asleep, and peaceful snoring soon filled the business class.

Kat gave Margot a dubious look.

"Wow, that was quite a stunt." she noted. "Is it just my imagination, or are your powers getting stronger?"

Margot shrugged, drowsily. "Pout-être. They alwaysh do when I'm angry."

"Should you really be messing with people's minds like that?"

Margot replied by taking a huge gulp of the tequila and by giving Kat a furious glance. "What are you now, my Mother?"

"I'm old enough to be." Kat shrugged. "But no, I'm not. Now give me that bottle, Jedi."

"I'm no Jedi." Margot handed the bottle to Kat. "Oh, I'm feeling the dark shide, alright, and it ish... calling to me."

"Cut that crap." Kat frowned. "The only thing calling to us right now is this damn bottle."

"No Kat, I'm sherious." Margot replied, and suddenly there was a dark edge to her stammered words. "I mean, what'sh the perk in doing the right thing...? Really? I saved John's life, and thish ish what I get? I should've just let him die. I should let them _all_ die, what the fuck do I care?"

"I liked this conversation more when we were talking about the tails." Kat replied.

"The tails." Margot stated, trying to pour tequila to her glass, managing to spill it all over her table and her clothes.. "Yoursh ish vishible, by the way."

"Crap!" Kat cursed, and concentrated hard for a few seconds, to get back to her human form. It was getting harder and harder to keep it under control. Maybe she should cut down the tequila after all.

But then again, it really didn't matter if she turned blue. Margot had made everyone sleep, everyone but the stewardess (and hopefully the captain), and the personel was doing their best not to notice the two drunk ladies on the last row of the business class.

"I should hook up with Jay again." Margot stammered. "Mon Dieux - he wash great in bed."

"Hey, no details. It's my brother you're talking about."

"Yeah… You think he'd shtill be interested?"

"He's _always_ interested." Kat rolled her eyes. "But not just in you."

"That'sh why I liked him." Margot muttered. "No sherious relationshipsh."

"So you're gonna give up on love, then?"

"No, Kat." Margot answered, her eyes suddenly full of sorrow. "Love's given up on me."

"Yeah… let me fill up your glass."

Margot made a face, and raised up her glass. "Cheers, shister... We'll be better off without them."

* * *

When finally arriving to the EUROPOL headquarters, Margot tried her best not to run to her father. She knew she was a mess - drunk, in wrinkled and smelly clothes (stained with tequila and other drinks), her hair untidy, her teeth unbrushed. And Kat wasn't looking or smelling any better. But of course on the way to Margot's room, they ran into Dr. Heinemann who had just returned from her place after feeding her cat, Godiva.

The look on the older man's face was utterly horrified.

"Margerie, what on Earth-" he began in German.

"Hey Dad." Margot did her best to be able to speak and stand up at the same time. "Remember Kat?"

"Yes, of course… But what on Heaven's name is going on here? I thought you'd be spending the weekend in Newark."

"Don't ask." Margot snapped. "I'll never go to that Hell hole again!"

"Sorry, what-?"

"And I hate you!" Margot exclaimed, her eyes tearing up. "You're a man, and therefore can't be trusted!"

"Now, daughter. Your behavior is out of line!"

"Yeah? I'll show you-"

"Come on Margot, time to go to your room!" interrupted Kat, grabbing her friend by the shoulders.

Firmly she pushed Margot forward, and passing Dr. Heinemann, gave him a reassuring smile. "Sorry, Dr. Heinemann. Too much Tequila. She'll be fine in the morning."

"Right."he replied, but wasn't too convinced.

It had been some time since he'd seen Margot in this condition, and he wasn't liking it at all. Frowning he watched, as his daughter staggered away, leaning on her friend, and his heart felt heavy with worries.

It had to be that kid. That Agent John Myers.

As if it hadn't been enough, that Margot had almost died saving his life and then spent four months obsessing about him, crying and moping around their home, absolutely miserable. What had that boy done this time, Dr. Heinemann wondered. If he'd broken Margot's heart _again_ , Dr. Heinemann would make sure he'd never set foot on European soil again.


	25. Part II: Summer heat

**Part II: My baby left me!**

 **Chapter: Summer heat**

* * *

Two months it had been, since her heart had been carved out of her chest, and still it hadn't stopped hurting.

Two months, of nothing but pain and heartache, sleepless nights, hidden tears and longing.

It was now the end of July, and the heat in the city of Brussels was unbearable. Margot and Kat had done what they did every day - spent the worst of the afternoon heat underground, either in Margot's apartment or some other part of Europol's paranormal unit, but when the evening came they headed out. The wind was still warm, but no longer unbearable, and the heat that radiated from the cement of the pavement was almost pleasurable by now. The streets of Brussels were full of people, happy tourists and locals, enjoying the beautiful summer night, their cheerful chattering echoing on the narrow streets and cosy restaurants. The air scented of waffles and flowers, dirty sidewalks and french fries, like it always does in Brussels in the summer. It was rather late already, the sun was setting, painting the sky with all the shades of purple and pink, but neither Kat or Margot paid it any attention at all.

On the terrace of 'À la mort subite', two sad figures stared at their Kwak beers.

Margot, wearing a mini skirt and a top with provocatively low neckline, looked remarkably different than just two months ago.

That's what losing your heart does. It changes you.

She had cut her hair, that had formerly reached her back. Now the short, sassy curls reached barely to her jawline, revealing her slender, swan like neck and sharp lines of her jaw. She'd lost weight too, which was obvious in her revealing outfit. She had always been slender, but now she was plain thin - her arms and legs all skin and muscle, her chest flat, almost like the one of a teenage boy.

Kat looked more like herself, in her jeans and her black T-shirt, but her hair had grown longer - much faster than any human's would have, and now it reached her shoulders, as black and shiny as always.

But the most apparent changes weren't the external ones. It was the lack of joy, the missing laughter, the spunk that had been lost in their spirits. Somewhere in Newark they had left their hearts, and what remained, was nothing more than a hollow shell - no matter how hard they both tried to deny it.

This summer had been an eternal nightmare.

The first week or so, Margot had refused to leave her apartment. She'd stopped eating, started drinking the first thing in the morning, and cried all day. But after Kat had finished all the food and Margot all the drinks she'd had stored in her apartment, they'd been forced to leave her rooms. And thus they fell into a pattern, that was repeated almost identical every day.

In the morning Margot went running or hit the gym - worked out so hard, that she tasted blood, and wanted to puke. It worked, kind of - as a way to forget everything, an escape from the agonizing reality. After her workout sessions that lasted from two to four hours, she went to ask her dad, if there was any work for her to do. Which there usually wasn't, (except for target practice or other combat training or tutoring), for just one look at her face told Dr. Heinemann, that she still wasn't fit for field work. And research was certainly something Margot couldn't concentrate on at the moment, her brain occupied with just one thought.

The one she tried her best to escape. John. Always John.

The first thought in her mind in the morning, the last before she fell asleep in the evening.

His name echoed in her footsteps on her morning runs, it was written in the headlines of the newspapers she tried to read, it was the number that called her cellphone, still ten times a day, and she never answered.

 _John._

And thus, another way to forget - to get waisted.

Enormous amounts of tequila, beer and wine. She and Kat headed out every night, their place of choice usually 'À la mort subite', for it was nearby, it was small and cosy, and they had a vast variety of special beers. They soon became a familiar face in the pub, recognized by the staff so well, that the first beers were brought to their table without even having to ask for them.

Being drunk certainly made the time go faster, but it didn't really help with the forgetting.

 _John._

Every dark haired guy on the supermarket resembled him, every man wearing a business suit (and there were plenty in Brussels!) seemed to have his face. Every American tourist with the same accent, and Margot's heart skipped a beat.

But it never was him. Never her John, the one who'd taken her heart and burnt it to ashes.

Christ, she missed him so bad, that it was hard to breath! The pain in her chest was like a burning arrowhead, stuck deep in the muscle of her heart, digging it's way deeper and deeper with every beat.

It was even worse now, than it had been last fall - when she'd spent four months moping around her mother's house. It was that much worse now, because she had let herself fall in love, truly to fall in love, to fall deep into Myers' sky blue eyes and his gentle thoughts. She had let herself believe there could be happiness for her, love meant for her, a normal life with a man who'd love her, who'd accept her as she was.

Which had all been a lie.

 _There is no peace for you, Margot._ A voice in the back of her mind mocked. _No love. No hope. No life. No rest for the wicked._

"I don't need it." Margot snapped out loud.

"You don't need what?" Kat asked, taking a sip of her beer.

"The only thing I _do_ need is another drink." Margot leaned back on her chair. "And preferably a hot guy to fuck me."

"What?!" Kat seemed shocked. "You serious?"

"Why not?" Margot raised an eyebrow. "I bet John's fucking his little whore as we speak. Why shouldn't I have some fun too? I've asked you to give Jay a call like a dozen times, but you haven't, so I'm checking my options."

"I don't want Jay messing up your head any more than it is." Kat rolled her eyes. "Besides, he's so damn happy all the time, it would drive me nuts."

"Ah, true." Margot sighed. "Well, what about Andu then? He's just as hot, plus he's got the Raistlin effect - dark, gloomy and damaged."

"No way." Kat stated. "You're not going to go through all my brothers. And that's a non negotiable."

"You're an asshat." Margot sighed.

"Come on, that's hardly even a word!"

"It is, I checked it from the dictionary. Apparently it means a person, who's head is-"

"I know what it means." Kat stated, and finished her third beer. "But what's with you tonight. It's not like you to call me names."

"I'm just having a bad day." Margot said in a low voice. "It's been two months now, to the day."

"Oh, yeah." Kat replied, her face darkening. "Crap."

"Feels like a year, though."

"Yeah, it does." Kat said, her voice just as sad as Margot's thoughts.

"So, heard anything from Red?"

"Nothing. But hey, it was him who wanted me gone, so." She shrugged, and then signaled the cute bartender, raising her glass. He replied with a smile, and raised a thumb.

"John called you today?" Kat asked then.

Margot nodded. "12 times. I checked."

"Ever think about answering?"

"I'm not that suicidal. Margot replied.

"Any more letters or presents?"

"No, not since the earrings."

Myers had sent Margot numerous letters and presents during these months. Small notes and postcards that always said: "I'm sorry. Please come back." And small presents too, flowers and such. Margot had just thrown them away, without a moment's hesitation. She'd refused to read the letters, just ripped them to pieces without even opening them.

But then had arrived a beautiful jewelry box, with a silk bow on top of it, and she'd done the mistake of opening it. A breathtakingly gorgeous pair of golden earrings, shaped like hearts, and a note: "I love you. Please, forgive me."

Margot had gone mental. She'd hacked the earrings to pieces with a hammer, ripped the note to atoms and stuffed everything back to the box, sent it back to BPRD with Myers' name on top.

There hadn't been any presents since, but still he kept calling. Every day. And Margot never picked up her phone.

"He's persistent." Kat stated. "You must admit that."

"Yeah. It's bloody annoying."

"Has it ever occurred to you-" But Kat was interrupted by the bartender, who brought them new drinks, a couple of Cherry Mort Subites.

"Ah, merci beaucoup." Margot gave the guy a halfhearted smile, but then turned her attention back at Kat. "You were saying?"

"Have you considered the option that you should hear out what John has to say?"

A piercing pain flashed through Margot's heart. A pain she'd done her best to escape since the moment she'd left him in Brooms Library two months ago.

"No." she tried to sound indifferent. "I mean, what's he gonna say anyways? I know he's sorry, I know he _says_ he loves me. But it's all a lie. If he truly loved me, he wouldn't have stuck his dick in her mouth."

"Yeah, I guess." Kat shrugged, taking a sip of her beer. "It's just…"

"What?"

"Perhaps there was some reason for it. It wasn't like him at all, to cheat on you."

"A reason?" Margot felt her anger stirring, and tried to calm down by gulping her cool beverage. "What reason could there possibly be for him to grab that woman, to push her against the wall and kiss her, like-"

"That's what you saw in his mind?"

"Yeah, I've told you."

"And he seemed willing?"

"God!" Margot exclaimed. "Yeah, alright? He seemed willing when he let her suck his dick! It's not like you can force a guy into that."

"You're probably right." Kat said. "It's just… the more I think about it, the less it makes sense."

"Well, that's because it doesn't make sense. He's a guy and he was thinking with his cock. And that's all there is to it. Nothing he'd say can make it better."

Kat was silent for a few heartbeats, just sipping her beer, and Margot let her thoughts wander. She watched silently as happy people walked past the restaurant, their thoughts all happy and joy, hopes, dreams and wishes - and love. There was so much love in the air on this hot night of July, that it made Margot want to puke.

 _Never fall in love. Nothing good comes of it._

A couple of guys took a seat on the next table, giving them cunning smiles, and Margot saw just what was in their minds. The other one was checking out Kat, the other one her. Margot answered the smile. The guy wasn't bad looking, not at all actually. He had a nice, lean and toned body, his arms strong and muscular - but not too bulky. His hair was dark brown, and fell to his forehead on a way that made Margot want to run her fingers through it. And he had the nicest eyes - blue, with just a hint of green and grey, surrounded by thick, black lashes.

" _I want for that guy to fuck me senseless."_ Margot sent to Kat. " _The dark one."_

" _Christ, you serious?"_ Kat asked, likewise telepathically. " _You did notice that he looks an awful lot like Myers."_

" _So what?"_ Margot shrugged. " _He's cute. And he's willing. By the way, the blond one is totally checking you out, and he's liking your boobs a lot."_

" _Stop reading their minds."_ Kat replied. " _It's tacky."_

"I'm gonna ask them over here." Margot said, and turned to smile to the men. She felt excited suddenly, taking a peek of the dark haired guy's mind. Oh yes, he was indeed willing - images of the things he'd like to do to her, filled Margot's mind and she was liking it very much. So what, if he looked like Myers. So what, if she would only use him to make her pain lessen a bit, to steal one night of pleasure imagining she was back in John's arms.

The forgetting wasn't really working for her anyways.

But just then Kat's mobile phone rang, and it caught Margot's attention too.

"Who is it?" she asked. Kat didn't get phone calls that often.

Kat took a look of her phone, her eyes suddenly serious.

"It's professor Broom. I'd better take it."


	26. Part II: Drinks with little umbrellas

**Part II: My baby left me!**

 **Chapter: Drinks with little umbrellas in them**

* * *

"Over my dead body!" were Margot's first words after hearing what Kat had to say.

They were walking away from 'À la mort subite', their drinks left unfinished, and the cute guys on the next table, left open mouthed wondering where their dates-to-be had vanished.

"Come on, I've been here for you for the whole summer. Now it's time for you to be there for me." Kat reasoned.

"But does 'there' really have to be, I mean physically _there_ , in BPRD? I'd rather be 'there for you' here."

"That was a weird sentence."

Margot gave a frustrated sigh. "You know what I mean."

"I know. But It's time for me to go home, Margot. It's been two months."

They walked silently for awhile. The sun had set, and darkness had fallen to the city, but it was a familiar, unthreatening darkness that was softened by the warmth of the sidewalks, and the inviting lights of numerous restaurants and shop windows. They walked past pubs and bars, waffle booths, chocolate shops, and market squares that were still at this hour packed with tourists, performers, and local teenagers enjoying the cool night breeze after the sweaty afternoon.

Margot loved this city. She'd lived here most of her life, it was her home.

But it wasn't Kat's.

"Agh. Alright. I know you want to go home." Margot finally replied, when they'd reached the peace and quiet of Parc du Bruxelles. The busy streets were left behind, though the sounds of nightlife were still present, even amongst the trees and the fountains. "And I know that you miss _him_ , even if you say you don't. I hear you calling his name in your sleep. I get it, alright. But Kat, do I really need to come too?"

"Yes, you do. There's no way I'm going to be able to face Red without your support."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really." Kat's voice was resolute. "I need you."

"But I swore I'd never go back to that Hell hole again."

"The Hell hole you're referring to, is my home." Kat stated, a bit pointedly. "Besides, Dr. Broom specifically asked for me to bring you. Apparently BPRD is a little short of special agents at the moment."

"Don't play the 'good soldier card'. I might have respect for Professor Broom, but it's not like I owe BPRD anything." Margot rolled her eyes. "But fine, have it your way. I'll come with you, but not for BPRD or Professor, but for you. On one condition.

"Yeah? And what's that?"

"Promise you won't make me talk to John. I need you on my side on this one."

Kat held out her hand. "I promise."

"A friends wow?" Margot looked her deep in the eye.

"A sister's oath."

And they shook on it, in the warm summer night of Brussels.

* * *

They took the first morning flight to US, and arrived at BPRD on the same day.

It was painful to be back, for both of the young women, but for different reasons. Kat, who had missed Hellboy more than she'd thought possible, had secretly hoped to meet her ex-lover as soon as possible. She had pictured this image in her mind - an image of Hellboy asking for forgiveness, begging for them to get back together. Yes, she had left him in anger, but now it was difficult to remember what had they actually argued about. Hellboy had wanted to break up with her, but the more she thought about it, the more clearly she began to understand that it wasn't because of the lack of love. It was because of insecurity, of fear, and of loving - not too little, but too much.

And she was all set to forgive him, if he only asked.

After all, she was too old to be alone, too tired to begin searching for love again, after already having found the one, her heart knew was the right one.

But Hellboy wasn't at BPRD. He'd gone on a mission, taking Myers with him - and of course the source of all evil, Beatrix Connelly.

This was something, that caused Margot both anxiety and relief. Relief for the fact, that she didn't have to meet Myers, but anxiety over the fact that he was with _her._

 _You should've known._

 _Why do you care, anyways? There's nothing for you here anymore. Just get the job done, and go home._

To find out, what was the exact reason that they'd been called back, Kat sat down with Professor Broom, in a small office near the library - and Margot was left behind, only Abe as her companion.

The merman was in his water tank, he had been reading books through the glass, but as Kat and professor Broom left them, he raised his big, black eyes to Margot's face and gave her a small smile.

"Abraham." Margot said silently. "It's so good to see you again. The truth is, I missed you."

"As we missed you here. It is a pleasure to have you back - it hasn't been the same without you."

"How so?" Margot asked. "How has the summer been?"

"Is it summer?" the merman asked. "Couldn't have told."

"What, you don't have an outdoors pool here?" Margot asked with a slightly amused smile. "That's outrageous. If you'd like, I could convince Manning to build you one."

Abe gave a small laugh. "I don't think that would be wise. There might be something else you need to ask of him though, if I'm right."

"What do you mean?"

"A plane." Abe replied. "He doesn't like giving it to us."

"Why are we going to need a plane, exactly?"

"To go to Mexico."

"And why do I have the feeling that we're not going there for beaches and drinks with little umbrellas in them?" Margot replied with a dry tone, raising an eyebrow.

"Is it ever a beach and a drink with umbrellas in our job?" Abe asked. "Usually it is monsters, end of the world, and a near-death-experience. But as to why we're going to Mexico, I'm sure Kat'll tell you all you need to know after she's talked with Professor Broom."

Margot was silent for a while, her thoughts on the one thing she really didn't want to think. John, always John.

She had a bad feeling about Mexico, and why they were about to go there. If she'd have to witness Myers and Beatrix' summer heat first hand, she'd start ripping heads off.

"Hey Abe, can I ask you something?" she said after some time of silence.

"Anything."

"So… is John-" she hesitated for a few heartbeats. "He's with Beatrix now, right?"

"No, he isn't." Abe replied softly. "You're mistaken to think that."

"Really?" Margot's heart skipped a beat. "But I thought-"

What had she thought, exactly, on the nights she'd missed him so much, it was impossible to breath? When she'd felt his absence in every inch of her aching body, anguished and tortured by the knowledge that he'd never hold her near again.

On those nights she had tried to suppress her longing by drowning it under anger and hate, by imagining him with Connelly. She'd played the film in her mind, time after time, the images she had caught from John when kissing his lips. How he'd pushed Connelly's slim form against the wall, with force, kissed her, his hungry lips opening her mouth for his tongue to enter.

The memory of those images, was enough to bring a bitter taste to Margot's mouth, and to bring back the anger that she wrapped around her, like a protective shield. So what, if she'd have to meet Myers? She'd show him just how much she _didn't_ care.

"I don't know what you thought." Abe's voice brought her back to the moment. "But they most certainly are not together. Whatever happened between those two, seemed to have caused for John to dislike her quite a lot. He's been very efficient in avoiding her these past months."

 _Oh. That's interesting._

 _No, it's not!_ Margot snapped to her inner voice. _You don't care, remember?_

"Except that they work together." she replied. "They're together on this mission in Mexico, right?"

"Well, yes." Abe said. "But I can tell, he wasn't happy about it."

Margot was silent for a few moments.

"Do you know why?" she asked then. "I thought he'd be happy to sleep with her, all summer, as soon as I'd be out of the way."

"I'm afraid that's something you'd have to ask him."

"I can't do that!" Margot exclaimed, "There's no way."

"Why not?"

"I…" Margot felt her cheeks blushing. "I just can't. I cannot face him, or talk to him. Not ever again, Abe."

The merman observed her silently for a few heartbeats, his huge black eyes fixed on her blushing cheeks.

"What are you so afraid of?" he asked then, silently.

"Don't get psychic with me, Abe." Margot warned.

"I'm sorry. But I sense fear in you. I was merely wondering what was the cause of that."

"The same as always." Margot shrugged. "Me."

"Ah, I see." Abe breathed.

But Margot didn't say what she really was afraid of. It wasn't losing her temper, lashing out with her powers, like she had last time in this place. It was the fact, that she didn't trust herself. If she had to face Myers, she'd lose herself in his eyes, and she'd fall.

And she had done enough falling for a lifetime. It was never worth it, for you always hit the ground, sooner or later, and it hurt like Hell.

"Well, if you are not going to hear him out, then let me tell you something you should probably know." Abe continued.

"What's that?" Margot asked, not meeting his eyes.

"That John's been miserable. He's practically roamed the halls weeping, Margot. I don't think he's gotten over you."

"Well, I'm certainly not over him. But what do you expect? Deep wounds heal slowly."

"I'm just saying, you are not the only one who's wounded."

"Yeah, I know." she admitted. "But it doesn't change anything. It doesn't change that he was the one to destroy what we had, and I am not prepared to forget it."

"If you say so." Abe replied.

That was something Margot really appreciated in Abe. He never pushed it, he was always graceful and dignified. To be honest, she had missed her little talks with him during the summer. But just as she was about to state that to Abe, the library's door opened and Kat stormed in holding a huge pile of paper, followed by a worried looking Professor Broom.

"Abe, I'm going to strangle you!" Kat exclaimed, throwing the papers to a table with a thud. "The case in Mexico is a fraud!"


	27. Part II: Quetzovercoatl

**Part II: My baby left me!**

 **Chapter: Quetzovercoatl**

* * *

"What do you mean, a fraud?" Abe sounded alarmed.

"Did you even check this information, Abe? the Quezovercoatl?! It doesn't exist, it's a book reference! I mean, a feathered boa, for God's sake?!"

"A feathered boa?" Margot asked. "I have one."

"Yes! Any woman would've known it's an accessory, not a god." Kat snapped. "You've been fooled, and I think I know by whom."

"By Agent Connelly." Sighed Professor Broom. "I am afraid we've sent my son and Agent Myers into a grave danger."

And suddenly Margot felt like suffocating.

"What do you mean?" she stated, her voice weak and strained in her ears. "Tell me all, now. Where are John and Red?"

"Agent Connelly has been working on a case for the past six months, a case about Teotihuacan-"

"Yes, I know that." Margot replied. "John was helping her with it."

"Indeed. It was me, who ordered for him to do so, and for that I am sorry." Professor Broom said silently. "But it is too late to lament that now. They did their research, and not that long ago they found out about a cult, who had been trying to wake up the ancient Gods of Teotihuacan."

"What is it with people waking up ancient Gods?" Asked Kat, annoyed. "Does anyone ever ask, if the Gods would just prefer to sleep?"

"They are Gods." said Margot. "They are thirsty of power, and they crave followers."

"Anyhow." Professor Broom continued. "Three days ago Agent Connelly approached me, asking if she could have a team for a mission in Teotihuacan. She told me there had been new sightings in the area, sightings of something that most certainly wasn't human. A feathered creature. And in past weeks, a few groups of tourists had gone missing. She told me about Quezovercoatl, and I don't know… she seemed so resolute. I trusted her."

"If you indeed trusted her, then why call Kat?" Margot asked. "Why summon us?"

"I got worried yesterday." Professor Broom replied. "After Agent Connelly had left us… I began to think different. I didn't think she'd betray us, but something didn't seem to add up. I wanted your advice, Kat. I wanted for you to go and check on them, for I have tried to reach Hellboy, but I haven't heard anything from him or Myers since they left. It has been three days now."

"Three days." said Margot, and met Kat's eyes. They were both dead serious.

"Fuck!" cursed Kat. "You should've called me sooner. Preferably the minute that bitch asked you to let her take HB and Myers to Mexico!"

"Mind your language, young woman." Professor Broom stated. "But yes, you are right. I am afraid I have put my trust on a wrong person. If Agent Connelly truly has invented all this evidence, I cannot believe that her intentions with my son are good."

"Or John." Margot said silently. "He's there too."

But no one seemed to pay any attention to her words.

"Abe, come on - how could you not see this?" Kat turned back to face her blue friend. "All of this is fake! Why didn't you sit down with her, and check this? You always do that, when I find something of interest."

"The truth is, that there is something in Ms. Connelly, that I find distracting." Abe replied. "And no, I do not mean her looks. If I'd have to describe it, I'd say it was her 'aura'. Something about her gives me headache, that is, and thus I have been forced to avoid her."

"Great." Kat said with a tone, that told she didn't think this was great at all. "I never should've left this place. Everything goes straight to Hell, when I'm not taking care of things."

Margot didn't say anything.

She felt Kat's words as an accusation towards her. She had, after all, been the one to take Kat away from here. And her own selfishness had kept Kat from coming back. Had she truly been there for her friend, Kat would've gotten back to her feet a lot sooner, and returned to her boyfriend to patch things up.

And then the hated Botox never would've managed to kidnap the guys, God knew for what unholy purpose. Yes, Margot was still mad at John, but that didn't mean she wanted him dead.

If they were too late, Margot would never forgive herself.

"We have to leave immediately." she said, on a low voice. "There's no time to lose. If we're right, and this is a trap, Beatrix Connelly is something else entirely, than a pretty agent. She might be the one responsible for all of this, for the deaths of those tourists too. And that means she's dangerous."

"I fear you are right." Professor Broom said. "The sooner you leave, the better."

"But sir." said Abe. "We need a transport. Agent Connelly took BPRD's plane, and we need to go through Manning, all the way to FBI to get another one."

Margot snorted. "The old creep who talked to my cleavage? Yeah, leave that to me."

* * *

Agent Johnson stared in disbelief at two young, very beautiful beautiful women who had just walked into Director Tom Manning's office. The other one was tall and dark haired, with pale skin and piercing eyes, the other one petite and very slender, her short curls fiery red. Yes, sure in his job as Tom Manning's personal assistant, Agent Johnson had seen a thing or two that would've freaked out any normal FBI agent, but this strange meeting was without doubt one of the most disturbing.

The women, who'd introduced themselves as Agent Wagner and Agent Duval, had arrived without an appointment, somehow gotten past the guards and the secretary in the lobby, and walked straight into Manning's office.

"Dear Tom, I need you to help me out." Agent Duval stated, taking a seat on Manning's desk, giving the Director a lustful look through her lashes. She was wearing a pair of tight, black jeans, super high heels and a white shirt over a black tank top, and something about her was so sensual, that it made Agent Johnson rather nervous. Her lips were painted blood red, and it was really hard not to stare at them, as she spoke.

"Um, sorry, what?" Manning stammered. "Who are you?"

"You know who I am." Agent Duval said leaning closer to the director. "We've met, Tom. I'm Margot Duval, Europol."

"Oh, yes." Manning replied, dreamily. "We _have_ met. How can I help you?"

"A plane. I need one, preferably today. Can you do that to me, Sir?"

"A plane." he said, looking somewhat confused.

"For a rescue mission, you don't need to know more." Agent Duval said. "The only thing you need to know, is that you really, _really_ want to help me out, and give me plane."

And after a few seconds of odd silence, Manning started grinning like an idiot.

"I do want to help you. A plane, yes. No problem."

"Preferably a nice jet, not a piece of garbage like the BPRD's plane." She gave Manning a very persuasive glance, her fingers playing in her short, red curls. "I'd _really_ appreciate it, Tom."

"Yes, off course. Anything for our beautiful, European liaison." Manning said, his cheeks burning. "Just leave it to me. I'll give you a call when all is settled."

"Thanks, Tom." Agent Duval purred, leaning closer, touching Manning's shoulder lightly with her small, gloved hand. "I owe you one."

"Ah, none sense. The pleasure was all mine."

"I bet it was." Agent Wagner muttered by the door. "Pervert."

But apparently Manning hadn't caught that, for he was still smiling. A scary, sight that one. But even more scary was Manning's next request, the one he made as soon as the ladies had left his office.

"Johnson." He said, his face again grumpy. "I need you to go with them. Don't let anything happen to my plane, you hear me?"

"Yes, Sir." Agent Johnson replied. "As you say, Sir."

But he knew he wouldn't have any chance to succeed in his mission. The women who could turn Tom Manning into a grinning fairy godmother, would no doubt do whatever they wanted to the plane.

* * *

It turned out, that getting a jet and someone to fly it, took a bit more than a few hours, and thus they couldn't get going before the next morning.

That made Margot curse out loud, in French, and bang her fist into the wall.

"Merde! Tomorrow?" she spat out. "Another day wasted!"

Kat wasn't any happier, and walked around Broom's library, her blue tail making angry, restless circles in the air behind her. "This is taking too long. Perhaps I should try and teleport us-"

"No." interrupted Margot. "That would be madness. You know a few miles is the maximum distance you could get us. Trying to get us to Mexico would probably kill you. Or send us to some other dimension, and we could get trapped there."

"I hate it when you're right!" Kat exclaimed. "But by God, I can't just sit and wait, while Botox is probably slicing the guys into pieces!"

"You shouldn't." Interrupted Abe. "What you should do, is eat and sleep, so that when we do get there tomorrow, you'll be in full strength."

"Eat and sleep?" asked Kat. "You think I can sleep?"

"You should try, nevertheless." Abe replied. "You might not be human, but there is a limit to your endurance. You won't do Red any good exhausting yourself now."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Kat agreed. "Margot, you want to grab some supper before we hit the bed?"

"No." Margot shook her head. "I have something I need to check."

"And what's that?"

"Ah, nothing." Margot said, walking towards the door. "You go and get something to eat, I'll come to your room later."

* * *

The door in front of Margot was so familiar, that seeing it cut right through all her defenses, and she felt her eyes tearing up.

She laid her hand on it, on the doorknob, and closed her eyes to concentrate.

 _John._

She could feel his fingerprints on the knob, and she followed them deep, into the moment he'd shut this door after leaving three days ago.

He had been nervous, she could read that much. Scared even. And sad, so sad that catching that made Margot gasp.

She opened her eyes, and let go of the door, but only for a short moment, just long enough to dig a key from her pocket. She still had it, a key to his apartment, the one he'd given her the first time she'd been here. She had hardly used it, for they had always been together during her visits, but now she was happy she hadn't returned it.

Determinate, she slid the key into the lock, and turned. The door opened, and Margot stepped in.

Myers' familiar scent surrounded her the moment she entered - steel and mint, cotton and old books, and it made her heart ache. Christ, she had almost forgotten it, and now it filled her, made her remember all too vividly how she had inhaled it from the bare skin of his neck when they'd made love.

 _No time for this_ , she told herself. _You're here for a reason._

The thought had crossed her mind, that perhaps Myers had left some clues about the case in his room, and that it would be a good idea to check that.

But it was harder than she'd thought, to be here again.

The memories of the things they'd done, of the time they had spent together here, filled her mind, and she felt incapable of pushing them away. On that couch, on that table, on that barstool, they had made love. Margot could practically feel John's strong arms around her, his lips on hers, his tight abdomen against her own, when he-

 _Agh, stop thinking about that already!_

With an angry snort, Margot turned her back to the kitchen and the living area, and walked to Myers' bedroom/office. Trying very hard not to look at the bed, she busied herself going through the papers on Myers' desk. Somehow it made her feel like an intruder, a stalker even, but she pushed the thought away. Botox could be planning for the Apocalypse, for all she knew, and thus anything Margot could find out about her plans, could make the difference.

She took a seat, and began to leaf through the pages of a notebook that lay on the table. Seeing John's handwriting made her again think of things best forgotten. The letters, the notes, the postcards, he'd sent her during the summer. "I love you. Please Forgive me." Margot felt an ache in her chest, an excruciating pain, that made it hard to breath.

She did her best to blink off the tears.

 _He never loved you, so stop this stupidity. This is just a job, like any other job - get your shit together!_

Margot shook the distracting thoughts away, and browsed through the notebook. Aztec Gods, Teotihuacan Gods, notes concerning the missing tourists… hardly anything of interest. But then on the last pages, Myers' handwriting: "Quetzoverqoatl - sounds weird. Is not in the books, check it."

"Oh, John. You should've called Kat". Margot said silently. "She would've known."

And then an ugly stab of guilt in her heart. Perhaps this was just the thing Myers had tried to call her about. He had been calling, alright. Margot just hadn't answered.

She moved on to a pile of papers, pages printed of different internet sites. There were pictures of ancient murals, temples and pyramids. One picture caught Margot's eye, for it was displayed many times on different papers. "Mural from the Tepantitla." they said. Myers had circled the pictures and underlined the name many times, and Margot immediately knew it was important.

"Great Goddess of Teotihuacan." Margot muttered. "I wonder if-"

She opened Myers' laptop, that was on his desk, and concentrated for a few seconds until she could follow his fingerprints on the keyboard clearly enough to catch his password.

After only a few minutes of googling, (and breaking into some heavily defended databases) she found what she was looking for - a cult that wanted to rise the Great Goddess, to bring on the Apocalypse. No doubt Myers had found the same information - too bad he had been so heavily under Botox' influence, that he hadn't been able to put the pieces together.

That Beatrix Connelly wasn't trying to expose this cult. She was probably the leader of it.

With increasing fear Margot read on. To wake up the goddess, human sacrifices were needed. Thus, the missing tourists, Margot realized. But that wasn't all. Something else was needed too, something called 'blood of other dimension', and Margot had the feeling she knew exactly to whom that referred to. According to the pages she found, it was also crucial, that the time of the year and the moon cycle was just right. Margot knew that full moon was tomorrow (for an agent fighting the supernatural, it was always handy to memorize these things), and the thought filled her with fear. No way it was a coincidence that Botox had lured the guys to Teotihuacan this near to the full moon! It was the perfect date for a ritual of this magnitude.

But the full moon wasn't until tomorrow. Margot felt her whole body stirring with anxiety.

 _John might still be alive._

 _If we get there before tomorrow night, we still stand a chance._

She closed the laptop, gathered the papers and took off. She left in such a hurry, she didn't even notice that her framed picture was still on Myers' nightstand.


	28. Part II: Lovecraftian moon

**Part II: My baby left me**

 **Chapter: Lovecraftian moon**

* * *

Abe, Clay, Margot and Kat stood in the middle of Avenue of the Dead (Agent Johnson had been left in the plane, and he had obliged willingly). It was two hours before midnight, and the huge full moon was high on the sky, illuminating the pyramids and the temples with eerie, silvery light. The night was warm as it can only be in the tropics, and it was filled with the sounds of locusts and grasshoppers, and bats hunting the moths.

"Look at that moon." Kat said, shuddering. "It gives me the creeps."

"Yeah, almost too lovecraftian to be true." replied Margot. "Can't be a coincidence."

"I have a bad feeling about this." said Abe. "We'd better make haste."

They were all sweating in the heat of the night, and Margot took a sip from a water bottle that hang from her belt. She was wearing her combat gear: black pants and boots, a black tank top and belt with all kinds of useful accessories like the bottle, a knife, a gun and some ammo. There was another gun attached to her thigh, and an extra knife on her right boot. Clay was equally well armed, but Abe was in his wetsuit and bore no guns. No one in their right mind would trust Kat with a gun (she was a famously bad shot), but then again she hardly needed one - her physics a lethal weapon that it was. She had changed into her blue form, her tail swinging restlessly behind her. Her eyes that reflected the light of the moon, shone yellow in the night.

"So, which way?" Asked Clay, taking a look of the vast complex of temples and pyramids. "You got the trail?"

Margot shook her head. "It's damn hard in a place like this. There have been thousands of people today, and their thought prints are a total mess."

"Yes." replied Abe. He had crouched down, and was feeling the ground with his wide spread fingers. "I do sense that they have been here, but I cannot see their current location."

Margot had closed her eyes, and tried to concentrate. She felt the traces of people's thoughts moving in the air around her, and she followed them deep, deep under the surface, away from this moment under the moonlight. And there it was, a familiar pattern of thoughts - John's. She gasped, as she caught it, grabbed it, and let herself see.

There he was, right in front of her eyes. His familiar posture, the broad shoulders and slim figure. His dark hair fell on his forehead on a way Margot had always found adorable, and he looked as relaxed as happy as ever. And he wasn't alone. Connelly was with him, and she had grabbed Myers' arm, leaning on him slightly as if they were a couple. They were walking on this road, wandering from temple to temple, under blazing sunlight. Both her and Myers, were dressed as ordinary tourists, with T-shirts and cameras, sunglasses and back packs, and they were happily walking among other people, smiling and chatting. Connelly's blond hair fell to her shoulders like a glimmering waterfall, and her slender legs, revealed by her mini shorts, were tanned and toned. Margot watched, as she leaned closer to Myers, to whisper something in his ear, and he laughed, his cheeks blushing.

Margot let go of the vision, and shook it off her mind. There was a bitter taste on her lips as she turned to look at her companions.

"Oh, they were here, alright." she said on a venomous tone. "That bitch brought John here, pretending to be tourists, probably multiple times during the last days. I bet she did it to mess the trail, in case we came after her. I have no idea where they are now, for the area is full of their presence."

"What about Red?" asked Kat. "Can't you see his trail?"

"Doesn't work like that." Margot shook her head. "I sensed nothing of him, I never had. It's probably because he's a demon and not a human."

"In that case we need to do this the old fashioned way. Let's split up." Kat decided. Broom had made her the team leader. "We must check the most obvious locations first, and contact each other in case we find anything. Clay, Abe - you take the Pyramid of the Sun. Me and Margot, we go to the-"

"Pyramid of the Moon." Margot stated. "I have a hunch."

She had just remembered, that it was that pyramid, that had been used to conduct ceremonies to honor the Great Goddess. She had read it from John's notes, that the platform on top of the pyramid had in fact been a sacrificial altar, where human blood had been spilled to ensure the fertility of the land. She glanced to the pyramid, but the top of it was now desolate, with no sign of any life.

"And what do we do if we find her - Ms. Connelly?" Asked Clay.

"Stay as far away from her as possible." Kat replied. "And shoot to kill. She's a traitor."

"Yeah." The older agent replied. "I still have hard time getting that."

"Well, you'd better." Kat's voice was stern. "She lured HB and Myers here to kill them. Don't let her pretty face get in the way of business, Clay."

"Sure." Clay muttered. "I just hope we get Red out in time."

"And John. These Gods have a taste for human blood, and I bet his is delicious." Margot gave Kat a glance. "We should get going already."

"Yeah, you're right." Kat replied. "Godspeed, comrades."

"Good luck." said Abe. "And be careful."

"Aren't I always?" Kat asked, raising an eyebrow.

* * *

They entered the pyramid through a tunnel on the backside. It was obvious, that it had been used recently, for the big block of stone that had covered the entrance, was lifted aside and they could easily enter.

"I wonder who opened the door for us." Margot whispered.

"Red." Kat replied. "It must've been him."

" _I think you're right."_ Margot sent to her mind _. "I sense John and that bitch too. They went this way, I'm sure of it."_

" _I'm going to call Abe. They should come here."_ Kat replied, likewise telepathically.

" _No, don't. It might be a diversion. They might not be here after all."_

Kat didn't reply, but silently led on.

The tunnel went deep under the pyramid, and it was pitch black inside. Kat had no problem seeing, though, but Margot had to switch on her flashlight - even if she knew it was incautious. In silent agreement they proceeded as soundlessly as possible, their footsteps agile and soft as a feline's.

" _There's a chamber ahead."_ Kat's thoughts echoed in Margot's mind.

Margot had noticed the same. There was suddenly more light in the tunnel, and she turned off her flashlight.

" _You sense anyone?"_ Kat asked.

" _No. No one."_ Margot replied. " _But someone left the lights on."_

" _Torches, more likely. Don't you smell them?"_

" _I smell something else too."_ Margot replied. " _It's almost like-"_

And then they stepped into the room. There was a large stone table on the middle of the chamber, and on it lay a big, grotesque statue.

"Oh, crap!" Kat cried out, threw herself across the room, and then Margot realized.

"-blood." she whispered. "I smell blood."

It was no statue, that lay on the table. It was Hellboy, and he was dead as a stone.


	29. Part II: The Great Goddess

**Part II: My baby left me**

 **Chapter: The Great Goddess**

* * *

Kat's desperate pain ripped through the air, through all of Margot's defenses and cut straight to her heart.

She couldn't help it. Tears welled in her eyes, fell to her cheeks, and her throat was burning.

 _No, this can't be._

 _This can't be happening. Not to Kat, no way!_

 _It's your fault._ A horrible guilt crushed Margot's chest. _You caused this by dragging Kat to Europe._

Hellboy lay dead on the stone table, his flesh arm hanging over the table's edge. Kat had thrown herself partly on top of him, and she was sobbing hysterically, desperately calling his name. Hellboy's blood had been drained, Margot realized, following his arm with her gaze. Dark liquid was still dripping from his fingertips to the floor. There was a pool under the table, that had collected his blood, but it was empty now. Just some dark, clotted remains stuck to the edges. And in the middle of the pool, a drain to collect the blood and lead it to the lower levels of the pyramid.

"I love you!" Kat was wailing. "Damn it, HB, you can't do this to me!"

But there was no answer, just the eerie echo of her voice from the stone walls.

Margot had to look away from Kat's face. It was too much, she felt her grief in her heart as it was, and the tears just kept flowing.

 _Your fault._ Margot's inner voice mocked. _You should've remembered - bat shit happens to people you care about._

Slowly she walked to her best friend, and laid her hand on her blue shoulder.

"Kat." she said silently, her voice thick with tears. "We must go. The job is not finished."

But it was like Kat didn't even hear her. She didn't look up, there was nothing but Hellboy's dead body for her, nothing but her enormous loss.

"Kat." Margot tried again. "We can't help him anymore. But John-"

She stopped mid sentence. Kat wasn't paying her any attention at all. She had wrapped her slender, blue arms around Red's neck, buried her face on his shoulder, and her whole body was shaking with her sobs.

Suddenly Margot felt like an intruder. Kat was mourning - it was a private moment. Hesitantly she took a step back, and let go off Kat's shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, sis." She said silently. "I'll take care of it."

She wiped off her tears, and closed her eyes.

 _No one messes with my friends._

 _Time to get mad,_ she told herself. _Time to lose your temper._

She felt her anger stirring, restless, like a small spark of fire in her soul - and she breathed on it. It caught fire, and in a heartbeat the power filled her from head to toe. She felt different, like reborn, and she knew she could rip this place to pieces with her will. The tears were gone now, as was her weakness. Resolute, she turned her back to Kat and Hellboy, and headed to a staircase on the other side of the chamber.

She knew just where to find Botox - and John.

* * *

The first thing Margot noticed when stepping into the room, was John Myers.

He was chained to a stone pillar, opposite to the entrance, and he looked like Hell.

His hands were cuffed behind his back, and he had been gagged. He was wearing a pair of black pants and boots - his combat gear - but his black T-shirt had been cut open in front, revealing his naked chest and abdomen. The red, thick scar on his collarbone was clearly visible on his pale skin.

There was a large bad looking wound on his temple, and the blood had fell to his face and his bare chest. Leaning the back of his head to the pillar, he looked barely conscious.

But he was alive.

Margot felt the pattern of his thoughts in the air, so familiar, so achingly longed for, that it made her heart skip a beat.

 _He is alive!_

 _Oh, Christ, oh thank God! Thank God, I got here in time._

The relief was so overwhelming, it almost made Margot lose her guard. She had to force herself to look away from him.

The job was anything but done. No time to be sentimental.

And then she saw Beatrix Connelly, and her heart sunk.

She was standing by a some kind of an altar, with a shallow pool that was full of blood. Hellboy's blood, Margot instinctively knew. The room was dimly lit, with torches on the wall, but the blood glimmered dark red and menacing.

A pool of blood. Never, _ever_ a good thing.

The tall, blond woman was wearing practically nothing. Her upper body was naked, except for decorative jewellery that seemed to be made of gold and turquoises, revealing her beautiful, large breasts. She had a short skirt that glimmered with gold when she moved, and in her hair, she wore a huge crown made of exotic feathers and gold, with a large, green bird resembling an owl in the middle of it. Her legs were bare, her toenails painted with red that matched the blood of the pool.

"Man, you should've sticked with pencil skirts and blouses." Margot stated, walking closer. "'Cause I've got to tell you, you look like an ass."

" _You_?" Connelly turned around, clearly surprised. "Didn't I take care of you already?

"No such luck." Margot walked slowly closer, pretending to be cooler than she actually was. "Perhaps you should've killed me. Like you did Hellboy."

"Ah." Connelly stated, and turned her back to the glimmering blood pool on the altar. "That upset you? I thought you weren't that attached to that red monkey."

"My friend was. So you kinda made this personal."

Connelly gave a sly smile. "Too bad. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do."

"And what is it exactly, that you're going to do here?" Margot asked, walking to a small stone table nearby. There was a long, curvy obsidian knife placed on it, and she picked it up with her gloved fingers as if it was nothing but a fruit knife. "What you gonna do with the knife? Human sacrifice?"

"Nothing to cheer up my monday like giving a life for the Great Goddess." Connelly replied. "She has a thing for fresh, beating hearts."

"Ah, don't they all. So, you have a heart picked out already?"

Margot put the knife down, and took a look of Myers again. Oh, he was conscious now, alright. His eyes following her every move, and it made Margot suddenly nervous. She turned her back at him, pretending not to care at all.

"Since the beginning of this year, sweetie." Connelly replied. "Your ex has just the heart I need, pure and pretty, perfect for the occasion."

"Not so sure about the pure." Margot stated grimly. "He did fall for you."

"Still holding a grudge about that? In that case you'll be delighted to see how he dies, no?"

"Yeah, about that." Margot winced. "Can't let you do that, really. There's only one person in this room who has the right to rip John's heart out, and that's me."

Connelly laughed, the sound of her laughter was cold and sharp, echoing on the stone walls.

"Oh, yes. You've done your share of heart ripping haven't you? I know you've killed, and I know you've enjoyed it. You haven't admitted it to anyone, have you? That it made you feel good, taking the lives of those men in Prague. It made you feel powerful, and you didn't even stop to hesitate before spilling their blood. And there have been others, haven't there?"

"Yeah." Margot kept her poker face. There was no way she'd let that bitch notice, her words had gotten to her. "Like your guards outside. Their brains are on the walls right now, by the way."

"Thought as much." Connelly shrugged. "Just proves my point - we are the same, you and I. I have no quarrel with you."

"Um, no." Margot replied. "We're not the same. You're an evil bitch who has no sense of fashion."

"Says the girl who wears Cthulhu T-shirts?"

"Hey! What's wrong with my T-shirts?!" Margot was offended. "At least I'm real. You're plastic."

"That's low. We are both women, who take what we want - Come on, Margerie Duval. How many times have you disobeyed the stupid rules of society? Or of Europol? You are not a human, you are so much above them, that their lives should mean nothing to you. You and I both have something the The Great Goddess appreciates in her followers, and she could reward you open handedly. It's not too late to change sides."

For a heartbeat or so, Margot hesitated.

Yes, she could see what Connelly meant. There was an appeal to it, the calling of the dark side. She had taken a peek of that side, ten years ago, and sometimes it still came to her dreams.

She could have power, unlimited power. She'd never have to be afraid again.

No one would dare to hurt her, ever again.

But then, a look at John. His bare chest, blood on his face. Pure fear and hope in his beautiful blue eyes.

And Kat.

Her one and only best friend, no, not a friend - a sister. Kat had been there for her, through this nightmare of a summer, every miserable day of it. Where would she be without Kat, she didn't even want to know.

And now Kat had been beaten. Her heart crushed, she was weeping over Hellboy's dead body.

It was this bitch, who had done that to Kat, and that was something Margot knew she'd never be able to live with.

"Sorry, no deal." she stated. "I've picked my foxhole, and I ain't changing it."

"Still standing by that loser?" Connelly tilted her head, taking a look at Myers. "I thought he was old news."

"Yeah, he is an ass, but he's with me." Margot's voice was stern. "And you ain't cutting his heart out, not without going through me, bitch."

"Suit yourself." Connelly replied, and before Margot had time to answer, she struck.

A burst of dark purple flames flew from her outstretched hands, and it almost got to Margot. It took all her power to make a protective shield around herself to stop the attack.

"Christ!" she cursed, wincing, but the shield held.

As soon as she felt the fire diminishing, she draw from her own powers, and aimed a fierce telekinetic blow towards Connelly. A blow strong enough to rip an elephant to atoms.

But Connelly laughed. There was no effect on her of any kind. Margot's blow went around it's target, and hit the back wall crumbling the stone to pieces.

"Disappointing." Connelly shrugged. "After hearing so much about your incredible powers, I expected-"

"Shut your pie hole!" Margot grimaced.

The sound of her gun ripped through the air, and Connelly's brain flew to the back wall.

Another shot, and a third one. Margot's hand was stable, her aim without flaws.

Without a sound, Connelly went down. Her limp body fell backwards to the pool of blood, but Margot didn't stop firing.

When she reached her side, there was hardly anything left of the blond woman's face. Her brains were scattered all over the glimmering red liquid, lumps of white and pale pink tissue floating on the surface.

"That was for Kat." Margot hissed, and lowered her gun.

Her heart was pounding in her chest, her hands now shaking slightly.

" _I know you've killed, and I know you've enjoyed it. You haven't admitted it to anyone, have you? That it made you feel good, taking the lives of those men in Prague. It made you feel powerful, and you didn't even stop to hesitate before spilling their blood. And there have been others, haven't there?"_ Margot heard Connelly's words in her mind.

Yeah, it did make her feel good. Killing.

But not killing innocent people, like Connelly had thought. Just the bad guys, just the bitches who tried to bring on the Apocalypse. And that was something she'd have to learn to live with.


	30. Part II: Bad Habits

**Part II: My baby left me**

 **Chapter: Bad Habits**

* * *

Myers' thoughts were slipping, he was flowing in and out of consciousness.

After being tied down in a very uncomfortable position for hours in an unbearable heat, having been beaten up, and hit in the head, forced to watch as his best friend and colleague had been drained of blood - Myers had lost all hope.

He knew it had been entirely his fault, that they'd gotten into this mess at all, and he certainly knew he didn't deserve any mercy. The only thing he wished for, was for the death to be swift.

" _Be careful."_ had Margot said. " _Just_ _be careful."_

And yet, he had been nothing but a blind fool, walking straight into a trap that had gotten Hellboy killed. And that would now claim his own life too.

So, when he saw Margot standing in the doorway, he thought he was simply hallucinating.

He'd missed her so much. Through this unbearable summer, every day and every night, she'd been in his mind. And today more than ever.

Knowing, that he wouldn't leave this room alive, he had hoped for one thing only, as impossible that it seemed. That he'd see her sweet face one, last time. And now, there she was, looking straight at him, her green eyes glimmering, her slender form shivering with emotion.

A hallucination. That's what it had to be. A memory. A dream.

Except, that it wasn't.

It came clear to him at the latest, when Margot shot Beatrix through her head, and the sound of the gunshots ripped the air. In disbelief Myers watched as Margot fired a shot after another, her hand steady, her face hard like a stone, and Beatrix's brains flew to the wall and to the pool she'd created from Hellboy's blood.

Christ, Myers had never loved Margot more than on that moment. And never had he hoped more, that he could've taken her place.

It should've been him, to fire those bullets. To fix at least some of the damage he'd caused. It should've been him to kill that bitch.

But it wasn't. It was Margot, saving his life _again._

When Beatrix was undoubtedly dead and dealt with, Margot finally walked to Myers.

She stood on her place, silently observing his miserable condition for a few heartbeats, then tilted her head and gave him a scornful look.

"You do have a habit of getting in trouble." she stated.

He tried to answer, but being gagged, managed only to mumble.

Margot snorted. She waved her hand, and the gag was ripped from his mouth, leaving him coughing. With another swift thought Margot made his shackles explode - causing a burning pain to the badly damaged skin of his wrists.

"How…" his mouth was dry as a sandpaper and he could barely talk. "Why are you here?"

"To save your sorry ass." she snapped, and didn't meet his eyes.

Oh great, she was still mad at him. Apparently even two months of separation, and seeing him nearly cut to pieces, hadn't been enough to soften her heart.

"Thank you." he managed to breath, nevertheless. "You do have a habit of saving me."

"A bad habit." Margot stated. She took a bottle of water from her belt, and threw it at him. Myers, his hands slick of his own blood, hardly managed to catch it.

"Drink that." Margot said. "You seem dehydrated."

Gratefully Myers opened the bottle and took a gulp, his hands shaking and his head spinning. He suspected he had a concussion, but there was nothing he could do about it right now.

"So, is Hellboy-?" he began, but Margot interrupted him.

"Dead. Kat's with him."

"Oh, crap." Myers swore. "That's-"

"Yeah." Margot replied. "It sucks."

They were silent for a while, Myers drinking the water to regain his strength, Margot silently observing him with a stone hard face that revealed no emotion.

"So, what happened to you?" she finally asked. "You look like shit."

"She hit me with a hammer." Myers muttered.

"Huh." Margot replied. "Suits you right."

Yeah, she was definitely still mad at him. Myers felt his heart sinking, but on the other hand he was already so depressed about Hellboy's death, that he couldn't go much gloomier.

"About that…" Myers stated. "You were right. You were right all along, about Beatrix. I should've listened-"

"Save it." Margot snapped. "Can you stand up?"

So, no talking about that either. Right.

With effort he got to his feet, leaning heavy on the stone pillar. Margot did nothing to help him, and her face was like frozen.

"Yeah, I can stand." Myers said, when feeling confident that he wouldn't topple over. "Let's get out of here."

Margot didn't reply, she simply turned her back at him, and began walking towards the tunnel she'd come from, leaving him to follow her the best he could.

"So, who else came?" Myers asked, trying to catch up with Margot. "Or is it just you and Kat?"

"Blue and Clay are here. And some young guy waiting in the plane, didn't catch his name."

"Manning gave a plane to BPRD?"

"He gave a plane to _me._ " Margot stated, her voice sharp as steel.

"Huh." Myers muttered. "Figures."

"Shut up." Margot snapped. "I'm here to save your ass, not to make conversation."

"Fine. Got it." Myers replied, but made the bold decision to try and talk to her anyways. "But let me just say, that-"

"Shut your mouth, or I'll hit your miserable face again, and you'll be wishing it was just that bitch with a hammer!" Margot snapped, her voice shaking with emotion. "Don't think for one second, that anything's changed between us. Whatever you have to say, I don't want to hear it. I didn't before, and I still don't."

And this time Myers did as he was told.

It was painfully clear to him now, that Margot indeed had not forgiven him. She might care just enough to not let him die, but apparently that was it.

He'd really lost her this time.

With a gloomy spirit he followed Margot up the staircase into the upper chamber.

But there, an unexpected sight welcomed them.

Hellboy, who was very much alive, was sitting on the stone table, holding Kat in his arms, kissing her passionately. Kat was sitting in his lap, her thighs both sides of his, and their tails had found each other, twirled together in the passion of their deep kiss.

"I thought he was supposed to be dead." Myers whispered on a conspiratory tone.

"Apparently not."

Myers took a sideways glance of Margot. Now, there was the way to say thanks to a woman who'd saved your life. He wondered if he should do the same, to grab Margot and pull her into his arms, to kiss her lips and-

But Margot gave him a glance that clearly said: _Try it, and I'll kill you._ Quickly Myers turned his eyes off her, back to HB and Kat.

"So, I take it he's not dead then." Margot said, finally getting Kat's attention. The couple broke the kiss, and Kat turned around to see them.

"Oh, he _was_ \- almost." Kat grinned. "I might have done something about that."

"Kat, again?!" Margot asked with a sigh. "What have I told you about sharing too much of your life force? It could've killed you!"

"You're one to talk." Kat replied. "I have a vague memory of you doing something similar not that long ago."

"I can't talk about that right now." Margot said with a sharp edge on her tone. "Or ever. So, you're back together, then?"

"Yeah. I said I was sorry." Said Hellboy.

"And I forgave him." Kat replied, cuddling closer to his muscular chest.

"Of course you did." Margot's tone was somewhat flat. "Why am I not surprised?"

But it was Hellboy who spoke next

"It's good to see you in one piece, Myers. Feeling alright?"

"Yeah, more or less." Myers replied. "But if it hadn't been for Margot-"

"I told you to shut up." Interrupted Margot. "So, we good to go?"

"Is the job finished?" Red asked.

"If you're talking about Botox, she's still searching for her brain, that I scattered over the floor. So yeah, I think the job is done."

"Margot wasted her!" Myers commented with a smile. "It was awesome."

"Won't you ever stop talking?!" Margot exclaimed. "Christ! Kat, HB, can you walk?"

"Yeah, sure. I'm fine." said Kat, stood up, and fell face first to the floor. "Crap!"

"I told you, you must stop this 'giving too much life force' -thing." Margot stated, walking to her friend. "Jesus, Kat. Was it really worth this?"

"Yeah." the blue woman muttered, and rolled to her back, still grinning. "You see, I love him."

"Yeah, yeah, so you keep saying." Margot rolled her eyes. "Red, you think you can give me a hand here?"

"I'll take care of it." Hellboy said, and scooped Kat into his strong, muscular arms. "I'll carry my girl out of here."

Kat gave a content sigh, as Hellboy picked her up, and held her tight against his chest.

"So, I'm your girl again, then?" she asked, resting her head on Hellboy's shoulder.

"No question about that."

And so they left the Pyramid of the Moon. Hellboy carrying Kat, Margot following them and the last one was Myers - feeling utterly deserted, hurt and humiliated, and thoroughly rotten.

* * *

About an hour later they returned to the plane.

Abe and Clay without a scratch, Hellboy feeling a bit weak, his upper body still blood stained and bruised, and Kat almost unconscious in his arms. Myers, whose shirt was ripped to pieces, and who was still bleeding all over the place, looked the worst. Margot bore no external wounds, but her face was so pale, and her eyes so fierce, that Agent Johnson wisely enough didn't ask a thing when greeting the arrivals.

"You, young kid, I need Tequila." Margot commanded. "Get me some."

"Yes, Mam!" Johnson breathed.

"And take us home." Hellboy grunted, passing him at the doorway.

"Yes, Sir!"

Johnson was more than happy to sneak into the cockpit, to deliver the message to the pilot. He _so_ didn't want to witness how Manning's precious plane was being stained with blood and booze by all these weird people who had just rushed in. In ten minutes the plane was airborne, Margot had her Tequila, and the way to home had begun.

Myers leaned back on his seat, and tried not to wince as Abe cleaned the wound on his temple.

"This looks bad." the merman said. "It needs stitches, but that'll have to wait until we get home."

"Great. More stitches." Myers groaned. "Soon my face will be nothing but a big scar."

"Don't worry Boy Scout. It'll make you look more like a man." Hellboy chuckled. He was sitting behind Abe and Myers, holding Kat (who was in deep sleep now) in his lap.

"Gee, thanks." Myers replied.

"Try not to speak." Abe said. "I'll bind the wound the best I can."

Myers stayed silent for a while, feeling Abe's cool fingers on his burning, throbbing forehead. He took a look at Margot, who was sitting as far from him as possible, on the other end of the small jet. Margot wasn't looking at him, but staring out of the window to the darkness of the night. She was clasping a Tequila bottle on her hands, so hard that her knuckles had went white, and Myers noticed she was trembling slightly. From time to time she brought the bottle to her lips, and took a gulp.

At least I'm not the only one feeling like shit, Myers thought to himself. Though that didn't make him feel better at all, on the contrary.

"So, care to tell us what happened?" Clay asked, turning to see Myers and Abe.

"We walked into a trap, that's what happened." Myers replied. "Beatrix had it all planned. When we got there tonight, she had these guys waiting for us. They shoot Red with some kind of a tranquilizer, and took me down too. She meant to kill us both, to use us as a sacrifice to her Goddess."

"What happened to the guys who shot Red?"

"Margot killed them." Myers replied. "They were guarding the chamber where Beatrix held me."

"Neat." said Clay. "Your girlfriend is a tough one."

"Yeah." Myers nodded. "She is."

But he looked at Margot, at her tiny, shaking form and the bottle she was hugging, and knew Clay didn't know a shit. He noticed now, how much Margot had changed during the summer. She had cut her hair, her beautiful long curls Myers had adored, and the new haircut made her look somehow younger and more childish. She had also lost weight, Myers noticed. Her arms, revealed by her black tanktop, were so lean that you could see every muscle and sinew, and her collarbones seemed to stick out of her skin.

"Now show me your hands." Abe asked, and Myers held out his wrists. They felt just as bad as they looked - the skin had been peeled off, and his hands were covered in dried blood.

"I tried to get off the cuffs." he said. "Didn't really work out."

"Oh, John." Abe shook his head. "These will take some time to heal. And there will be-"

"Scars?" Myers snorted. "Yeah, thought as much."

"Stay still. This will hurt." Abe warned, but still Myers grimaced when Abe sprayed his wrists with the wound cleanser spray.

"Christ, Abe!" he cursed, but held his hands still.

"Don't be a baby." Hellboy noted. "Those are nothing but scratches."

"You're one to talk, Red." Abe said. "I remember you making faces too, when I'm cleaning your scratches."

"Never happened." Hellboy replied, but leaned back on his seat, leaving Abe tending to Myers' wounds.

When he had finished bandaging Myers' hands, Abe took a look at Red and asked: "Is there something I can do for you? Any scratches to patch up"

"Nah." Red shrugged. "I'm fine. But Kat here…"

Hellboy still held Kat in his lap, the blue woman leaning her head on his shoulder, snoring lightly in her sleep.

"She will be alright." Abe said. "Kat just needs to rest now. Giving away one's life force can be exhausting. But don't worry, tomorrow she'll be up and about."

"Good to hear." Hellboy grunted, wrapping his arms tight around Kat's slender form. "It's great to have her back."

"Yes, it is." Abe replied. "It was about time, that things got back to normal."

"About that…" Myers said, and took a look at Margot. "I'm going to talk to her."

"Don't." said Abe on a warning tone. "Trust me. You don't want to anger her in a plane."

"Yeah, you want her blowing up our ride, Myers?" noted Clay.

"No, but I-"

"John, don't. If she wanted to talk to you, she'd be sitting here." Abe said. "Besides, you need the rest. You are badly dehydrated, and I think you have a concussion. The best thing you can do now, is try to sleep."

"But Margot-"

"I'll talk to her, and see if she needs anything." Abe's tone was reassuring. "It's better that you give her some time to think about what happened today."

Myers glanced at Margot one more time. Her face was pale, but there were red spots burning on her high, sharp cheekbones. Her eyes glimmered, as if there were tears in them, and she seemed so fragile, so sad, that Myers felt his heart breaking. He wanted nothing more, than to go to her, to tell her that he loved her, to pull her near and comfort her with his closeness.

But then again, he had tried to talk to Margot in the Pyramid. And she had told him to shut up, repeatedly. She'd made it very clear, that she wanted nothing more to do with him. Perhaps it was time he accepted that.

"Fine." he said to Abe, closing his eyes and leaning back on his seat. "You go, I'll try and sleep."

* * *

Abe sat down by her side, and Margot turned her eyes off the full moon she'd been staring at.

"Hey, Abe." she said, raising the bottle. "Tequila?"

"No, thank you. You seem to need it more than I do."

Margot made a small, bitter laugh. "That obvious, huh?"

"That you are feeling rotten, yes. But the reason, not so." Abe said, giving her a glance with his huge, black eyes. "You seem troubled, Margot. What are you thinking?"

"Why don't you tell me?" Margot asked, and took a gulp of her bottle.

She so didn't want to have this conversation now, but if she had to, Abe was the only one she was prepared to tolerate.

"About what happened in the pyramid." he said. "You should have called and get me and Clay to help you."

Margot was silent for a few heartbeats, staring out of the window again, but seeing nothing. Her mind was still in the chamber under the Pyramid of the Moon, in the moment she had pulled the trigger.

"I killed her, Abe."

"It was necessary."

Another small silence.

"Yeah. But I enjoyed it."

"That's understandable."

"Is it?" Margot asked, her voice sharp, the words had acidic taste on her lips. "Is it really?"

"Yes. But what difference does it make, Margot, if you enjoyed it? Even if you did, that was not the reason behind your actions. You killed her because it was necessary, to save the lives of people you love."

"Don't talk to me about love." Margot groaned, and closed her eyes. "I'm not nearly drunk enough to talk about that."

"As you wish."

"You know what the tragedy is?" she breathed, opening her eyes, and turning to look at Abe.

"Tell me."

"That I probably had a lot more in common with Beatrix Connelly, than I have with any of you guys."

"What do you mean by that?"

Margot shrugged. What could she say? That she had fought the same battle in her mind, over and over again, since the day she had discovered her 'talent'. Every day, haunted by the possibilities, by the choices she had to make, always balancing on the edge. She could do horrible, unspeakable things to people, she knew. And she had done them too.

"She asked me to join her." Margot confessed then. "To let her kill John, and raise the Goddess."

"But you didn't."

"No, I didn't. But I _thought_ about it."

"Again, understandable." Abe said silently. "It doesn't mean that you are like her, though. The way I see it, the only thing you two had in common, was the fact that you both liked John."

Margot made a small laugh.

"Well, who wouldn't? He's adorable."

"You still think so?"

"You know I do." Margot said, and took another gulp of her bottle. "Besides, I have a thing for cute guys who are bleeding all over the place."

"Then you've most certainly picked the right occupation." Abe said with a smile. "'Cause those we have plenty."

"Noticed." Margot replied, with a small laugh. "So… how is John? Is he going to be alright?"

"In time. He needs rest, water and some painkillers, but his wounds are nothing serious. He has gained a couple of new scars, though."

"Huh?" Margot raised an eyebrow. "Haven't we all?"

"We certainly have, my friend." Abe said. "But without you, we wouldn't be here talking about it. You did the right thing, and you should know we all are thankful for it."

"Save it, Abe." Margot said, not meeting his eyes. "I don't even work for BPRD - how on Earth are you going to write a report of this mission? Besides, I think I still might get in trouble for messing with Manning's mind. This thing is far from over."

In that, Margot hit the spot, though not the way she had thought.

In a deep, dark tomb, inside the Pyramid of the Moon, something was stirring. The Great Goddess, the one so ancient, that even her name had been forgotten thousands of years ago. But now she was awakening. She tasted the blood of the other dimension, and human blood too. Not the one she had been expecting, not the blood of a pure, male heart, but this would dol. This blood tasted of rage and hate, of power and need, of all her favourite things.

Oh yes, it was good blood, and it had been spilled for her.

The Goddess reached into it, drew it's essence into her half dormant soul, and woke up.


	31. Part II: Future is now

**Part II: My baby left me!**

 **Chapter: Future is now**

* * *

The next day Margot woke up at 6pm, after sleeping for 12 hours straight.

 _Where the Hell am I?_

 _Christ, I feel like shit._

There was a horrible taste in her mouth, one that she recognized all too well, the foul taste of having too much tequila the night before. Or in this case, the morning before, for they had arrived at BPRD about 6am this very morning.

Opening her eyes, she realized she was on Kat's couch, BPRD, Newark.

 _Great, this Hell hole again._

She groaned, and sat up with a yawn, taking a look at herself on the mirror opposite the couch in Kat's small living room. Margot frowned to her image. Yeah, not a pretty sight. She was pale as death, with dark circles under her eyes and her hair was a mess. She was still wearing the agent gear from last night's mission - the black pants and a tank top. Her gloves, boots, and the belt with the guns and stuff were scattered on the floor. And she knew she stank. Sweat, blood and you name it, had made her clothes stick to her skin.

But the world was saved again. And so was Kat's heart, apparently, for Margot realized she was alone. She had a vague memory of Red carrying sleeping Kat in his arms, towards his rooms, and no one had dared to argue.

 _As it should be,_ Margot thought to herself. _Kat deserves some happiness, and if it's with him, then so be it._

But her own heart… Margot felt a hollow ache in her chest, a fierce longing that took her breath away. Seeing John yesterday, it had almost been too much to take. It had nearly made her break.

 _Yeah, better not think about that._

Margot shook her head to drive his image away from her mind. With an angry snort she got up from the couch and headed to bathroom.

After half an hour, all showered and changed into clean clothes, Margot stepped into Hellboy's room. She passed Red on the doorway, as he had been the one to open the door for her.

"You're still alive, then." Margot stated, taking a look of his tall, muscular gorgeousness. "That's good, I guess."

"Alive and kickin'." Hellboy replied. "Thanks to Kat."

"And to Margot." Kat's voice said, and the blue woman stepped into the room, wearing nothing but a towel around her otherwise naked form. Her moist hair told Margot, she had just showered. "So, be nice to my friend, Red. She's the one who took care of Botox."

"I'm always nice to her." Hellboy replied. "But yeah, you're right. Thanks, Margot. And not just for that."

"For what, then?" Margot asked, walking in, crouching to caress a cat that circled her legs.

"For taking care of Kat." The red demon muttered. "I owe you."

Margot made a small laugh. "You mean, letting her sleep on my couch after you broke her heart and drove her away from here?"

"Hey!" exclaimed Kat. "I'm the only one who's allowed to give Red hard time about that."

"Fine." Margot replied, and stood back up again. "Just making sure you will. But HB, really, no need to thank me. I could've been a lot better host and a friend, to be honest."

"Shut up." Kat said. "You were awesome."

"And that's why I'm saying thanks." Hellboy said. "I got'er back, in one piece."

"Ah, don't mention it." Margot gave a smile, a fake one. No matter what HB or Kat said, she knew the truth in her heart - that she had let Kat down, and that had almost cost both Hellboy's and John's life. Not something she could easily get over.

"So, Kat, you alright?" she asked then, to get something else to think about. "You passed out before we got to talk."

Kat gave a sinful grin, glancing at Hellboy. "Better than alright."

"Huh. So it would seem." Margot looked from Kat to Hellboy, whom she now noticed to be shirtless. "Did you get any rest?"

"Yes, I've only been awake for like two hours." Kat rolled her eyes. "I slept until then."

"And lot can happen in two hours, I see."

"It was bound to happen sooner or later." Kat shrugged. "You know, I missed him like crazy."

"I love hearing you say that." grunted Hellboy, and wrapped his flesh arm around Kat's slender form.

"I know you do." Kat purred. "But you missed me more."

"True."

"Eww." said Margot. "You've got to be kidding me with this ickiness. I mean, Kat, weren't you the one to tell me you'd never forgive him?"

Kat shrugged. "That was before. He apologized, so-"

"He must be pretty good at apologizing, then."

"You have no idea." said Hellboy, lighting his cigar, and looking every bit cool and relaxed, Kat cuddling closer to his chest.

Suddenly Margot felt all too clearly, that she was the third wheel. There was so much love in this room, that the air was thick with it, and it made her sick to her bones. I made her desperately wanting to be someplace else - but just then the thought hit her - where do you go, when you have nowhere to go, no one to go to?

"Kat, I need to talk to you about something. You up for breakfast?"

"Dinner, more likely. But yeah, I'm starving. But I-" And she glanced at Red on a way that made Margot's heart twist. She knew what Kat meant, even without reading her mind.

"You don't want to leave him." She said. "I get it. It's alright, you two have dinner together. I'll just grab something and-"

"No, don't be an ass. You're staying here and we'll all eat together. We can ask pizza, or nachos. What would you like?" Kat's tone was resolute, but Margot knew it was a bad idea. No matter how much she loved Kat, she just wasn't up to witnessing their head-over-heels love and forgiveness right now.

Besides, Margot had a pretty solid hunch they'd want to have something more than food too, and she wasn't going to be the one on their way.

"No, it's alright, really. I'm not that hungry anyways. But Kat, walk with me for a while, will you? I need to ask you something."

"Sure." Kat said, with a grin. "Just let me get dressed first."

A few minutes later they were walking down the corridor, back to Kat's rooms. Kat was back in her human form, looking still a bit pale, but otherwise she seemed to have recovered from her near death experience.

"So… I was thinking-" Margot began.

"That's never a good thing."

Margot punched Kat in the arm. "You're one to talk! I wanted to ask, if you would mind, if I stayed on your couch for a couple of weeks."

"You want to stay here?" Kat was clearly surprised. "I thought you called this place a hell hole."

"Well yeah… But I can't go home either." Margot shrugged, staring at the floor. " I mean, what would I do there? Drink tequila alone under my bed? And I really can't go to Hamburg either. I can't do that to Mom. She hates to see me like this."

"Yeah, I heard something about Slipknot with Ukulele."

"Christ. You too?" Margot rolled her eyes. "Well, you'll be happy to hear that I left my Ukulele in Hamburg."

"Too bad." Kat said. "I like Slipknot."

"Well, who doesn't?" Margot asked. "But really, is it okay, if I stay? Not for long, just for a few weeks. I think it would do me good."

"Sure." Kat replied. "That would be great. And you don't need to sleep on the couch - you can have my bed, I'll be staying at HB's place most nights anyways."

"Yeah, the couch is fine, thanks."

"But tell me… Why is it really, that you want to stay?" Kat asked after a short while. "It is not for Myers, is it?"

"No." Margot snapped. "Why would it be?"

"No reason." Kat replied a bit too quickly.

"Just because you forgave HB, doesn't mean I have to forgive, John." Margot stopped walking, and turned to look her friend in the eye. "This is totally different. HB was just being an insecure ass, who dumped you by accident. What John did, was so much worse. I can never forgive him, not ever. You gave me a sister's oath, not to make me talk to him again. You remember that?"

"I do remember. But I just thought… that maybe things had changed after yesterday?"

"Well, they haven't. I still hate that bastard who broke my heart."

"Right." Kat said. "So, about you staying here… you'll probably have to talk to Manning about it?"

"Yeah, I think I must." Margot said, with a sigh. "But he's gonna be all like 'Anything for our beautiful European liaison!' anyways, so."

"We'll get to work together." Kat suddenly realized. "If you want to, I mean. But that would be nice. I think we did fine last night!"

"Yeah, so do I." Margot broke into a smile. "I mean, the mission was a disaster, but we did save the guys. And I killed that bitch. Not for John, or for Hellboy. I did it for you."

"Yeah, I know you did." Kat said. "That's why you're my best friend."

"Aww, come on. You're making me cry." Margot laughed. "Don't get emotional just because I spilled some blood for you, sis."

"So, more bitch killing together in the future? Next time together?" Kat raised an eyebrow.

"I'm liking that plan." Margot said. "We make a superb team!"

* * *

 **A few days later:**

It had taken Myers some time, to wrap his mind around the things he had read from the weekly report from Manning.

He held the paper in his hands, and read aloud:

"As a part of the exchange program between BPRD and Europol's Paranormal Unit, Agent Margerie Duval is posted in BPRD HQ, starting immediately. During her stay, Agent Duval will have the full juridical status of a BPRD agent, and will be working with different teams on paranormal missions."

Abe, in his tank, listened quietly, and when Myers was finished, shrugged as if there was nothing out of usual in the report.

"Abe?" Myers asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes?"

"I didn't even know we had an exchange program." Myers noted, his voice rather tense.

"We didn't." the merman replied. "Not until yesterday, or so I hear."

"Manning made it up for her?"

"I wouldn't say he made it up. It is a real thing, at least from now on."

Something in Abe's voice made Myers take a better look at his face. Yeah, it was as he'd thought - Abe looked a bit guilty, and not at all surprised.

"You knew about this already?"

"I might have." The merman replied, avoiding Myers' eyes.

"And you didn't tell me?"

"You were to find out about it, eventually."

"Yeah, but still." Myers sighed, frustrated. "I could've used the heads up."

"I am sorry, John. It is hard sometimes, to be a friend to both you and Margot. I try not to get in the middle of your argument."

"Fine." Myers replied, taking a seat. "I just-"

"You're confused."

"Yes, I am." he said. "She's staying here? For what? I do not know what to make of this."

"Then perhaps you should talk to her about it." Abe suggested. "You know you must do that, sooner or later."

Myers sighed. If only it was that easy! He had tried to reach her during these past few days, calling to Kat's room, knocking on her door… but Margot never answered. They had passed each other on the hallways a couple of times - every sight of her making Myers heart skip a beat. But she hadn't even replied when he'd greeted her.

"I tried to talk to her, multiple times. She keeps avoiding me, and telling me to shut up."

"Then you must try harder." Abe said. "And not lose hope."

* * *

After about half an hour, Myers stepped into the mess hall, immediately noticing the person he had been searching for.

Yup, there she was - Margot. It had been worth the trouble, to blackmail Kat into telling her friend's whereabouts, by promising to buy her the biggest chocolate cheesecake of the nearest Cheesecake Factory. Not a tough bargain, that one.

Margot was sitting on the furthermost table, wearing a pair of super tight blue jeans, and an over sized T-shirt with a print: "I want to believe." She held a huge coffee mug on her gloved fingers, aimlessly leafing through a fashion magazine, though her mind clearly wasn't in it.

She looked so small, so thin and pale, that Myers' heart immediately filled with worry. She looked like someone who'd been through hell, and he had a feeling, he might be the one responsible for that. It wasn't a nice thought, and it brought a bitter taste of self loathe onto his lips.

Slowly he walked closer, and stopped in front of her - making her finally look up from the magazine.

"You." she said, her eyes narrowing. "Get lost."

 _Right. A great start._

But he wasn't about to get this easily discouraged. He pulled a chair for himself, and took a seat opposite to her. Leaning slightly closer, he looked her straight in the eye.

"We need to talk."

"I can't see why." Margot's tone was indifferent, and she was browsing the magazine again.

"I read Manning's report." Myers said. "It said you're staying here."

"Yes." Margot replied, not looking up. She took a cool, slow sip of her coffee mug and turned a page of her magazine.

"Why?"

"None of your business. All you need to know, was in the report."

Myers was silent for a few heartbeats.

Yeah, Margot wasn't making this easy for him. But still, this was the first time they actually sat on the same table and _talked,_ after the break up. And Margot hadn't even punched him in the face yet, which had to count for something.

"So it's really just work, then. The reason you're staying." Myers continued. He felt his cheeks blushing slightly as Margot finally looked up to meet his eyes.

"What, you thought it was because of you?" her tone was venomous.

"Not really."

"Good. Because it isn't."

"Okay." Myers sighed. "But Margot, if you've decided to stay here, we're going to have to work together. How do you see that working out? You hate my guts."

There was a flash of anger in her pretty, green eyes, and it made Myers nervous.

"I do. But I can be a professional."

"Can you?"

"Yes." Margot stated. "Besides, I've asked Manning to assign us on separate missions, if possible."

Okay, Margot was angry, but she still wasn't running away or hitting his face. Myers felt somewhat encouraged by those notions.

"That's impossible, and you know it." He stated, trying to keep his voice calm and smooth. "I work with Red, he works with Kat and I bet you want to work with Kat too. So, there we are, in the same team. And I'm not prepared to give up my job, not for this."

After all, he had already given up everything else for her - his sanity, his heart and his self respect. The job was all he had left, and he wasn't going to lose that too. Not even for Margot.

Margot didn't say a thing, just stared at her coffee mug, her pale face not revealing any emotion.

"Margot?"

"Yeah." She looked up to meet his eyes, and shrugged. "Don't worry about it. I can be civilized, if I want to. Was that all?"

"No."

He hesitated for a moment.

There was one thing he _needed_ to say to her. The only thing that mattered. The thought that kept him awake at night, that made it impossible for him to sleep, and which dominated his every waking hour as well.

"I'm still in love with you, Margot." he confessed, his voice almost failing him. "Just thought you should know."

"You don't get to talk to me about love, you motherfucker." Margot's words were like cold steel that cut through his heart. "Never say that to me again, or I'll show you just how uncivilized I can be."

"Fine." he said. "Understood."

"That's the deal." Margot breathed, through her teeth. Her hands, holding her coffee mug, were shaking slightly now. "We talk about work only, nothing else. No exceptions."

"Okay."

"So, anything else you needed to say?"

"Just that it's good to have you back." he said. "Even if it's just for work. I missed you."

"Hey, didn't you get what I just said?" Margot's voice was stretched with anger. "Work only, no chit chat."

"Right." Myers replied. "I get it. But just so that you know, I really-"

"God, were you always this slow?! Just _get lost_ already!" Margot snapped. "Leave me be! If it's not work, I don't want to hear it."

"Yeah, I'll get lost in a second. But I'f we're going to work together, you need to know, that I realize I owe you. You've saved my life, twice now, and I haven't forgotten. I'm in your debt. Whatever you need, just tell me."

He'd spoken from his heart, and he saw now how his words cut through her defenses.

There was a short moment of silence, no more than a few heartbeats. But it was just enough for him to see something in her eyes - a flash of the old Margot, a short glimpse of her soft, vulnerable soul, the one he'd touched with his mind so many times. But it was gone in a second, replaced by her hardened cover, by hate and scorn.

"What I need, is for you to shut up, and leave me in peace." Margot breathed. "Can you just do that, before I lose my temper?"

"I don't mind you losing your temper. I never did." Myers said, but stood up nevertheless. "I love it. I love _you_ , all of you. And your bad temper is the thing, that saved my life."

Margot blinked a few times, her cheeks blushing - with rage or something else, he couldn't tell. But when she spoke, her words were sharp and cold as dagger blades.

"Go to Hell."

"Been through it already." Myers stated, turning his back to her, starting to walk away. "Nothing new there."

"Go fuck yourself!" Margot cried out. "I hate you!"

 _Yeah, better not to answer that._

He walked out of the mess hall, all the time waiting for Margot to throw a magazine, or a coffee mug at him, or aim a fierce telekinetic blow at him. But none of those things happened, and he was able to leave, physically unharmed.

 _That went alright, I guess._ He thought to himself when heading towards his room. At least she was talking to him again, even if half or it had been cursing and telling for him to get lost. But still, it was better than nothing.

Actually, it was quite alright.

For he suddenly remebered something Kat had said. That Margot did hate him, but didn't loathe him. The difference being - according to Kat - that _hate_ was the opposite pole of _love_ , and therefore could switch back just as easily, at any given moment.

All he had to do, was to not lose hope.


	32. Part II: Funhouse

**Part II: My baby left me!**

 **Chapter: Funhouse**

* * *

It was just another ordinary Friday night in August, that Myers and Clay stepped into a Pub. It was a small, cosy place, not that far from BPRD, and many agents used it as a place to relax after a hard day's work. And as it often was a hard day's work in BPRD, the agents were a familiar sight in the "Bucket of Blood".

Myers had lately been a rare sight in The Bucket, though. He didn't quite feel like he belonged. He had never been really 'one of the guys', like he knew Clay and Hellboy were, familiar with the guy talk and feeling like a part of the gang. And now, more than ever, he just couldn't make himself to pretend that he enjoyed that kind of things.

The truth was, that he was depressed. And he knew no amount of beer and chatting with other agents, could make him feel better.

But still, being a nice guy, he had felt obligated to join Clay after tonight's mission. Clay had taken some serious beating from an angry spirit, and he was in need of a beer.

"Get us a table, I'll fetch some beers." Clay said, as they walked in.

"Sure." Myers replied, and headed to search for at least somewhat peaceful table as Clay went to the bar. The place was relatively full, it was Friday night after all, and it took some time before he found a table, and took a seat, waiting for Clay.

He let his gaze wander on the people as he waited. There were a few pretty girls in a table not so far, both blonds with pretty faces and nice curves, and Myers realized they were giving him glances. Oh, swell. This was so not what he needed.

Even if Clay and some other agents had tried to convince him that all he needed to get over Margot, was to get someone else under him, Myers knew it didn't work like that. At least not for him. There was no way he could get in on with some girl, not as long as he felt like dying inside.

Besides, even if his heart hadn't been broken, he had definitely had enough of pretty blondes for a lifetime! Being hit in the head with a hammer, and almost cut open like fish, by a Victoria's Secret Angel, had something to do with that.

He tried not to answer the glances the other girl was giving to him, but apparently in vain, for the girl stood up and approached him. She took a seat on his table, and leaned closer.

"Hey." she said, her voice sweet and dark like forest honey. "You alone?"

"No." Myers said. "I'm with a friend."

He knew he was being rude, but he'd learnt from his mistake. Nothing good came from being too nice to beautiful woman, when your heart was taken.

"A girlfriend?" the blond raised an eyebrow.

Myers was just about to answer, as he noticed Clay approaching with two beers. He raised a hand to make Clay notice him.

"A boyfriend." Myers said to the girl. "That's him. We're _so_ gay."

The blond blushed deeply.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I-"

"No problem." Myers gave her a smile. "It was nice to meet you."

The blond girl stood up, taking her curvy gorgeousness with her, and left Clay staring at her swinging hips open mouthed.

"What did you say to her?" Clay asked, taking a seat. "She left in a hurry."

"Nothing." Myers stated, taking a sip of his beer.

"Didn't look like that."

Myers rolled his eyes. Gods, he hated it when Clay tried to push women at him.

"Just told her I wasn't interested." he said. "'Cause I'm not."

"Yeah, yeah. Still dwelling on that, are you?"

Myers didn't reply. He really wasn't going to get into a discussion about Margot with Clay.

"Anyways," Clay continued after taking a few deep gulps of his beer. "That girl was hot - you didn't have to make her leave."

"You serious? What about Brexia?" Myers asked.

"Nah, it's complicated." Clay replied. "I dunno if it's gonna work out."

"Well, it doesn't help if you mess around with another woman. Take it from someone who knows."

Myers couldn't help the fact that his voice was a bit bitter.

Clay had a nice thing going on with a girl he'd met earlier this summer. She was a voluptuous, blond stripper that Clay had met on a strip joint (where both Myers and Hellboy had been too, but that's another story), and for some reason Myers quite didn't see, Brexia seemed to be genuinely in love with Clay. She didn't even mind his hair implants, to everyone's great amusement.

"Well, I think Brexia is great." Myers continued. "She's cute and funny and she adores you, God knows why."

"It might have helped that I saved her from a flesh eating demon." Clay said, raising a glass. "Cheers to that."

Myers sipped his beer, his thoughts in Margot again. She had saved his ass a couple of times, and yeah it had made him adore her, alright. If there only was a way to save her from something, perhaps it would make her see him with new eyes too.

But where do you get a flesh eating demon to threaten your ex-girlfriend so you can save her? Besides, it would take a hell of a demon to be brave enough to attack Margot.

"Hey, Myers." Clay said suddenly. "Isn't that Kat?"

Myers looked up, towards the door. Yeah, it was Kat alright - and she wasn't alone. Myers felt his cheeks blushing at the sight of Margot, and for a short moment he forgot everything else.

Margot was so damn pretty, it took his breath away. She was wearing a pair of stonewashed ripped jeans, a black top with a low neckline and high heeled boots. With her generously applied black eyeliner and red lipstick, she looked different than he was used to seeing her, but no less attractive. Myers couldn't help but to stare at her - her tiny waist, her slender arms, the way her hair waved as she walked and turned to speak to Kat - it was all so painfully familiar to him, her every move, every gesture, that he felt like falling.

And then it hit him - that he could never touch her again. It was excruciating.

How could he live like that?

Like a man who's dying of thirst and is denied the sip of water that could save him.

In silence Myers observed, as the two women walked to the bar, and talked with the bartender for a few moments. Then Margot walked to the small podium at the other end of the room, and Myers noticed she was carrying a guitar case on her back. The guy from the bar was helping her now, fixing a mic for her, and bringing a high bar stool to the podium. Margot removed her gloves, took out her guitar, and gave the guy a few warm smiles before he returned to the bar.

"Did you know she'd be here?" Myers asked of Clay.

"No." Clay shrugged. "I mean, I knew she sometimes came here to play, but I had no idea, that she'd be here today. Hey, we can go someplace else, it's fine."

"No. We're staying." Myers stated, suddenly resolute. "This is our place. I'm not going to let her drive me out of here."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." his voice was as dark as her moods.

It was just then that Kat noticed them, and walked through the crowd to their table.

"Howdy!" she grinned, and took a seat.

"Howdy?" Myers raised an eyebrow.

"Well, would you prefer a staider greeting?"

"What are you doing here, Kat?" he asked.

"Aren't you grumpy? That bad of a mission today?" Kat glanced from Myers to Clay. "What happened to you, Clay? You look like you've hit a truck."

"Nah." Clay said. "Just a bunch of angry spirits."

"Oh." Kat said, suddenly looking guilty. "Damn, I knew I should've been there to help you guys."

"No. Margot should've been there." Myers said. "She's the one who has most experience with ghosts, and she can kick their ectoplasmic ass like no one else. But she's asked Manning not to assign us on the same missions, and this is what we get."

"What!" Kat exclaimed. "That's nuts! Clay could've died because of that!"

"I'm fine, really." Clay muttered. "We took care of it."

"Yeah, this time. But what about next time?" Kat's tone was annoyed. "This stupidity has been going on for long enough. I'll talk to her."

"You do that. Since she still won't listen to me." Myers stated, taking a deep gulp of his beer, it's bitter taste echoing his state of mind.

"I'll do it, but after. She's gonna play some songs, and I'd like to listen. After all, it's a huge improvement that she's doing something else than drinking alone in my room, and weeping." Kat said, taking Myers' beer from the table, and drinking half of it, before he had a chance to say anything. By the looks of it, she was going to keep the bottle.

But Myers hardly cared, his mind busy with her latest remark.

He turned his eyes back to Margot, to her slender figure that had just hopped onto the barstool. She was holding an acoustic guitar, and the instrument seemed huge against her tiny, slender body. Her delicate fingers were holding it gently, as if it was living thing.

So, she spent her nights in Kat's room, drinking alone and crying? That was… interesting.

Myers got up from his seat, and walked to the bar to get another beer, just as he heard Margot play the first chords with her guitar.

* * *

After about an hour, Margot's small gig was over. She had played a variety of songs, from different female artists like Pink, Adele, Sia and Joni Mitchell - and they'd all been more or less about broken heart.

Myers couldn't say a word during the whole time.

Slowly sipping his beer, he stared at Margot and let himself enjoy this unexpected, stolen moment of being able to just watch her, and hear her beautiful voice, that - for once - wasn't calling him names or telling him to get lost.

He didn't care about the people, their chattering and the cheering. He didn't even notice Clay, who tried to talk to him a couple of times, or Kat, who gleefully cheered after every song. The only thing Myers saw, was Margot. The only thing he heard was her voice, the same that had called him back from the dead not even a year ago, the one who still held his soul and his heart.

And he knew, Margot had noticed him.

Every once in the while her eyes stopped at him, and he saw the blush on her cheeks, the glimmering in her green eyes. And her words - the things she sang, looking straight into his eyes, were the ones he knew she could never say.

The last song she performed, was the worst - on the best way. Her eyes never left his, as she belted out Pink's 'Please, don't leave me", with so much emotion it left half of the people on the small pub speechless.

" _I don't know if I can yell any louder,_

 _How many times have I kicked you out of here_

 _Or said something insulting?"_

 _I can be so mean when I wanna be,_

 _I am capable of really anything,_

 _I can cut you into pieces,_

 _When my heart is broken._

 _Please, don't leave me._

 _Please, don't leave me._

 _I always say how I don't need you,_

 _But it's always gonna come right back to this._

 _Please, don't leave me._

 _I forgot to say out loud_

 _How beautiful you really are to me._

 _I can't be without._

 _You're my perfect little punching bag,_

 _And I need you._

 _I'm sorry."_

It was after that song, that Myers realized, both Clay and Kat were staring at him, as if he'd done something incredibly stupid.

"What?" he shrugged, trying to hide the fact his voice felt a little thick in his throat.

"Man, you've gotta go and talk to her. Now." Clay chuckled.

"For once, I agree with you, Clay." Kat said. "Here, give her a beer. Roses would be better, but I have none at the moment, so this'll have to do."

Kat handed Myers an opened bottle of beer (from which she still hadn't had time to drink, gladly).

"I can't." Myers said, refusing to take the beer. "She'll just tell me to shut up again!"

"After that performance?" Kat blinked a few times. "Christ, you're slow! She was singing at you, you dumbass - go and get her, now!"

"Oh, fine." Myers gave in. He felt his cheeks burning, as he awkwardly accepted Kat's beer. "But you'd better not stare! And you'll be paying for my funeral, Kat."

"Sure." Kat grinned. "I'd outlive you anyways, kiddo."

Myers walked to Margot, hesitant.

"Hey, I brought you this. Thought you'd be thirsty." he handed out the beer.

Margot eyed him, not replying anything, but she took the bottle - her bare fingers almost touching Myers', and he felt the electric current that made the hair on his arm stood up. Christ, it made him long for touching her, so much he almost did.

"That was beautiful." he said, pushing his hands into his pockets, just to be sure. "I didn't know you were this good with a guitar."

Margot still didn't reply, just stared at him, blankly, her eyes like mirrors, not revealing anything.

Myers cleared his throat. Christ, he felt nervous! And it didn't exactly help, that he could practically feel Kat's eyes on his back all the time.

"Do you… come here often to play? Clay said-"

"Why are you talking to me, John?" Margot asked then, out of the blue. "Just spit it out."

"I… uh, I just-"

And he felt blushing. Great.

"Please, don't tell me it's because of my song choices." Margot rolled her eyes.

"The last one was pretty clear." Myers replied. "And the other ones seemed rather familiar too."

"They weren't about us." Margot snapped. "Just that you know."

"You sure about that?"

"Why would you think they were?" Margot asked.

"Because you told the audience that broken heart was good for the art?"

"Just chit chat." Margot shrugged. "You wouldn't think Lady Gaga was singing to you, just because she has a song called 'Bad Romance, wouldn't you?"

"That's different. I've never even met Lady Gaga!"

"Not that I know of." Margot muttered. "But how can I be sure? You do have a thing for blonds, don't you? At least the blond girl on that table over there was drooling all over you."

"I told her I wasn't interested."

"Is that why she keeps thinking that you're gay?"

"Yeah, I might have told her so."

"Ah." there was a small smile playing in the corner of her mouth. "Well, you should've told that to Botox too."

"Yeah, I should have."

"But you didn't."

He was silent for a short moment, and looked down.

"I messed up, I know that. What happened was all my fault, and I'm so sorry about that."

"I know you're sorry, John. But it doesn't change anything. What's done is done."

"Margot, I know you miss me too. I know you miss what we had. Please, I'm begging you here." Myers felt his voice shaking slightly. This was the first time they really talked about what happened, and he couldn't help it - he hoped, against all odds, that she would hear him out and forgive him.

But there was a cold flash in her eyes now, and her words cut like a knife.

"Begging? Was that what she did too? Beg you to stick your dick into her mouth?"

"No. I-"

"And you, John, such a nice guy. Always so eager to please everyone else, that you were incapable of saying no to her."

She stuck her guitar into the guitar case, not meeting his eyes.

"I did." Myers replied, rather pointedly. "Say no to her. Several times."

"Oh? And is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"I don't know how to make you feel better. I know I cannot undo what I did, but I'm willing to do whatever you ask of me. Margot, please. I know I fucked up, but please, please give me another chance."

"No, John. I don't do second chances."

"But I-"

"I'm sorry, John, I really am. But it's over."

He felt like suffocating. There was something in his throat, tears burning in his eyes, and he couldn't stand it.

Enough, enough already.

He turned her back to Margot, and walked out of the Bucket, not once turning to look back.


	33. Part II: The Name of the Rose

**Part II: My baby left me!**

 **Chapter: The Name of the Rose**

* * *

Margot lay on Kat's couch and tried to read a book she had picked out from Kat's bookshelf. It was one of her favorites, "The Name of the Rose", but even if she had read it a dozen times before, she found it hard to concentrate right now. She kept thinking about last night, and about her life in general.

What the fuck was she doing here, really?

She knew she had barely done anything worth of mentioning for BPRD on these few weeks she'd been here. Wiping dust of the old books in Professor Brooms library, or turning pages for Abe, didn't really count.

And Margot knew Kat was getting a bit annoyed by her too. It was obvious that she preferred to spend her time with HB now that they were happily-ever-after again, and that left Margot a bit of a third wheel - which in turn made Kat feel guilty. Kat's mind wasn't the easiest to read (for there wasn't that much normal human DNA in her), but Margot had caught this much.

The last thing Margot wanted, was for Kat to feel bad for her - or because of her. She wanted for Kat to be happy, after all - there was no doubt that she loved Kat a way more, than she loved herself.

 _You shouldn't have stayed. You're making everyone's life a mess._

But just then there was a loud 'bamf' and the room filled with blueish smoke.

"Jesus, Kat!" Margot cursed, sitting up. "Couldn't you knock?"

"Kinda hard to knock when you're teleporting." The blue woman shrugged. "Besides, this _is_ my room."

Margot eyed Kat from head to toe. Her hair was dripping wet, and she was only wearing a towel around her otherwise naked form.

"Wanna tell me why you're naked?"

"Because I left all my clothes at Red's place. They must be burned, by the way."

"Eww." Margot made a face. "I'm not sure I want to know."

"Oh, you do, believe me. But let me get dressed first."

"Fine." Margot sat down on the couch, and was just about to pick up her book again, as she heard Kat's voice from the bedroom.

"And get the Tequila - we're both going to need a drink!"

A few minutes later both girls were sitting on the sofa, the bottle and a few glasses waiting for them on the nearby table.

"Would you believe, I almost got ravished by Clay today?" Kat started, taking her glass.

"What, no way!" Margot exclaimed.

"Why? Don't you think I'm attractive enough for him to make a move on me?" Kat seemed almost hurt.

"It's not about that. Clay might be dumb, but he's not dumb enough to try and hit on HB's girlfriend."

Kat shrugged. "Alright, don't believe me then, but it's true. _And_ agents Martel and Kaye went running after me after I had passed them on the hallway. Kaye asked me out for dinner, and followed me all the way to Red's room. And by the looks he was giving me, a dinner wasn't what he really had in mind."

"That can't be. He's happily married, right? I thought he just had a kid, too."

"Yes. And still, all I'm telling you is true."

Margot was silent for a few heartbeats - yeah, she knew instinctively Kat wasn't lying. She picked up her glass, and emptied it with one gulp, for she had a feeling she wasn't going to like where this conversation was heading to.

"Why would they all act that way, Kat?" she asked. "What are you not telling me?"

"Well… Professor Broom asked me to go through Botox' stuff today, to see if there was still something we should check on, and then get rid of the rest. And I found this perfume-"

"A perfume?"

"Yeah. And I tried it on." Kat looked ashamed. "I mean, the bottle was really pretty. It had little flowers on it."

Margot gave her a stare that would've scared the pants off a lesser being.

"You tried on a perfume that was left behind by a wicked witch priestess, who tried to kill your boyfriend?"

"I know, I know! It was stupid alright, but that's not the point! The point is that-"

"-that Botox had a perfume that turned men into mindless sex beasts." Margot whispered.

It was like all blood left her head. Suddenly she felt like suffocating, her head was spinning and it was like Kat's voice echoed from somewhere far, far away.

"Yeah. Even the ones who actually have a good character."

Margot blinked a few times, and took a deep breath. She grabbed on her tequila glass, to stop her hands from shaking.

"What did you say?" she breathed.

"That even the one's who are good people, fell for her spell. For that it was, Margot. The perfume is some kind of a love spell, or lust spell to be more accurate. And if I'd have to guess it was spiced with human sexual pheromones."

Margot poured herself another Tequila shot, and gulped it down.

A love spell. That bitch had put a love spell on _her_ boyfriend!

" _I did. Say no to her, several times."_ Myers' voice echoed in Margot's head, and twisted her heart, making her wince. There was something in her throat, tears burning in the corner of her eyes, and it was almost more than she could take.

"Margot?" Kat asked. "Are you alright?"

A third glass of Tequila, burning on her lips, and all the way down. It took that much, for her not to fall apart right now.

"No, I'm in fucking pieces." she exhaled. "And I need to get the Hell away from here."

She grabbed the bottle and got to her shaking feet.

"Where are you going?" Kat asked.

"Out." was all Margot could answer, as she opened the door and rushed off the room.

* * *

 **Two hours later:**

Myers looked up from his laptop - someone had knocked on the door. It was late already, past 9 pm, and he wasn't expecting anyone. But as always - it could be work.

He walked to the door, and opened it.

"We need to talk." said Margot, leaning heavily on the doorframe, holding a half empty tequila bottle on her other hand, having apparent difficulties talking and standing up at the same time.

"You're drunk." Myers said.

"Well spot." Margot stammered, as she entered the room. "But you were always the smart one. And the hot one. Damn, John. Were you always that pretty?"

Myers didn't quite know what to say to that, but he felt his cheeks blushing, as he ran his fingers through his hair. He observed, as Margot wobbled towards the kitchen and placed her bottle on the table, after taking a gulp. She leaned her hands on the countertop, on a way that made Myers think she'd fall down if she didn't. She was obviously extremely drunk, more so than Myers had ever seen her (though he had heard from Hellboy that Margot and Kat had led quite a life in Brussels). But still… having her here, even if it was in this state, was enough to make his heart race.

She was so damn pretty - her red hair, an undisciplined cloud around her pale face, called for him, to bury his fingers in it. Her small mouth, her rosy cheeks, the look on her forest green eyes made him feel slightly out of breath, and he had to push his hands into his pockets, not to go and touch her. It didn't help a bit, that he noticed all too well that Margot wasn't wearing bra under her dark blue tank top, the shape of her breasts and hardened nipples clearly visible through the fabric.

Myers forced himself to look back to her eyes, though he knew Margot could easily read his mind if she wished to.

"You wanted to talk?" he asked, his voice slightly hoarse in his throat.

"Umm, yeah... Tequila?" Margot raised the bottle.

"No thanks, I'm fine."

"Ah. More for me, then." she shrugged, and took a long swig. "Though, gotta say it's not working at all."

"It seems to be working just fine, if your goal was to get wasted."

"Yeah, _that_ it does." Margot. "But it really doesn't help shit with the pain."

 _Oh. So that's what this is about._

Myers walked slowly closer, and took a seat on a barstool. Margot was standing quite close to him now, close enough for him to feel her scent of roses, cinnamon and alcohol - and it made his heart ache.

"Why don't you tell me about it?" he said quietly.

"What do you want me to say, John? You want me to talk about the fact, that during these past few months the first thing in my mind every fucking morning, has been to put a gun to my mouth and pull the trigger?" Margot's voice was thin, stretched and haunted. "That I haven't been able to sleep or eat or do _anything_ , for I hate you so much! I _hate_ you, Thad, for breaking my heart, but I hate myself more for being stupid, stupid enough to fall in love-"

She stopped mid sentence, shaking her head as if annoyed with herself, and then grabbed the bottle again. Slowly she raised it to her lips, once more, her hand shaking slightly, her eyes fixed on the wall. It was as if she'd forgotten all about Myers' presence, as if she was talking to herself more than to him.

"Don't say that." Myers breathed. "That you were stupid. Because it isn't true. I was the stupid one, for messing up the best thing I ever had."

"It doesn't matter now." Margot said, turning her gaze to him. "Don't you see? It doesn't matter! But I can't let go of _this!_ "

There was suddenly so much pain in her voice, so much agony, that it took his breath away.

"What do you mean, it doesn't matter?" He asked. "What is it, that you wanted to talk about?"

"That none of it was your fault!" Margot exhaled. "You bastard! I hated you for nothing, all this time, for nothing!"

"But it _was_ my fault. I did cheat on you, no matter how much I wish I hadn't." Myers said, more than a bit puzzled.

"Christ, can you just stop saying that?" Margot grimaced. "I don't want to hear anything, not anymore! I didn't want to hear Kat and her stupid witchcraft Botox stuff, I don't want to hear you, I don't want to hear my own fucking thoughts - I just want this all to go away, and I have no one to go to. No one, but you, John."

Her words left him speechless.

No matter, that he didn't understand half of it, about botox or witchcraft, but he did understand her point. And it was, that _she needed him_. That he was the only one she could think of, to come and share her pain, and that was all it took for him to forget every mean word she had spat to his face during these past weeks.

He got up from the barstool, stood up to face her.

"Margot, I-"

"Shut up, and kiss me."

But before he had time to do a thing, she had already thrown herself to his arms, and kissed him.

Christ, it felt so good! Her lips tasted of Tequila and roses, her tongue of salt and lust, and it took Myers' breath away. Her tiny form was shivering, she pressed her small breasts tight against his chest, and Myers couldn't help it - feeling her near, to be able to wrap his arms around her body, made a hot need flash through his core. Feeling her mind on his was even better than he had remembered. It was a deep ocean of secrets, and he felt being pulled under the surface, losing himself and finding her. Feeling one with her, with her need that made both of them shiver.

" _I want you to fuck me John."_ Margot moaned into his mouth and mind.

"Christ, Margot-"

"I _need_ you to fuck me so that it hurts." she broke the kiss to look him deep in the eye. "Can you do that for me?"

Oh damn, she was even more drunk than he had realized. He could hardly read her thoughts, even if they were touching, for they were nothing but a foggy mess of pain, misery and lust. She leaned heavily on him, her hands were in his hair, and yeah, he wanted her like never before, but he knew she was a way too drunk.

But still he was unable to stop kissing her. He let his lips open her mouth, his tongue to find hers, and a hot need burst into his veins, when she succumbed to his desire.

" _Make this pain to go away."_ she sent to him. " _Please, John. I need it."_

He knew what she meant. That he should hurt her - to physically hurt her, so that she couldn't feel her broken heart anymore. And he knew, there was no way he could ever do that.

Determinedly he broke the kiss, placed his hands on her shoulders, looking her deep in the eye.

"Come on, don't ask that." he exhaled, slightly out of breath. "You know I can't-"

" _But I need it."_ her thoughts were a plea in his mind. " _I need you to hurt me, for I've hurt you. You should be hitting my face, you should be throwing me to the wall, John. You should fuck me so that I fucking bleed."_

Okay, she was _this_ drunk.

Myers let go of her shoulders, breaking their contact. His heart was racing in his chest, he felt his cheeks burning, and by God, he wanted her so much that it was agonizing - but he was _not_ the guy who took advantage of a horridly drunk girl.

"Okay, Margot. Let's calm down a bit, shall we?" he said. "What if I make you a cup of coffee, and-"

"Oh, you ass! Don't try to patronize me!" Margot breathed through her teeth.

"I'm not. But you told me we needed to talk, and I'm still waiting for that to happen."

"I don't want to talk. I want to forget, I want to-"

"Yeah, I know what you want, but you see-"

And just then Margot's knees went limp and she fell to the kitchen floor.

"Oh, fuck." she cursed, and tried to get onto her feet, but didn't succeed. "I can't find my legs, John... I mean, I know they're here, but they feel like damn spaghetti."

"Hey, let me help you." Myers knelt by her side, and gave her a hand, but she just took it, and pulled it to her chest, his palm to her small breast, to feel her hardened nipple. Myers had to bite his lip, to suppress his groan.

"I missed you." Margot breathed, her eyes closing now. "I missed your hands on my skin."

"Yeah, okay. Time to get you to bed." Myers stated, gently pulling his hand away from her grasp. Easily he scooped her into his arms, for she weighed close to nothing, and her form was tiny and slender against his chest.

"To bed?" she muttered drowsily. "So you can fuck me 'til I cry?"

"Um, no. Not tonight, not until you're sober."

"Ugh. I hate you!"

"I know you do."

"Just do it, John, please... I need it so bad." She forced her eyes open again, but her words melted together. "Or, don't you want me anymore?"

"Ah, of course I do, you know it." It was the truth, and he could hardly deny it. "Tomorrow, okay?"

"You promise?"

"Yeah, I promise."

He laid her down on his bed, placing her head gently on the pillow, and then reached for a blanket to tuck her in. She seemed so tiny, he noticed it now better than ever, now that she lay on the bed, all vulnerable and soft, all her anger and demands forgotten. There was something almost innocent in her now, something childlike, and it made his heart ache. He wanted nothing more than to protect her - to Hell with all his other responsibilities, his work and his emails. They could all wait until the end of the world, for all he cared.

He just sat there for a while, silently, holding his hand on her shoulder. She had closed her eyes, but her breathing was still fast, shallow and uneven, and he knew she was awake.

"The room is spinning, Thad." she wailed after a while. "I don't feel so good."

"You gonna throw up?

A moment of silence.

"Umm, don't think so."

"Just tell me if you do, okay?"

"Okay." she breathed. "I'm sorry."

"It's gonna be fine." he reassured her, gently caressing her shoulder. "Just try to sleep now."

"But I'm falling, John."

"I'm not gonna let you fall. I'm right here."

Another small silence, a bit longer this time.

"Will you stay with me?"

Myers couldn't help it - he felt her words in his heart, in every cell of his body, and he knew he was hers. He'd guard her sleep til the end of his days, if she only let him.

"I promise. I'll stay here all night, to make sure you're fine. I'll take care of you."

"I love you. I love you so much."

"Sleep now." Myers felt his voice get stuck in his throat. "You'll feel better in the morning."

But she opened her eyes, one more time, taking a look at his face. There were a few tears running on her cheek, and without even thinking about it, Myers reached to wipe them away.

"There was blood on your face." she whispered, her voice all drowsy. "I saw blood on your face... and I wanted to kiss it off."

"In the pyramid?" he asked, and she made a small nod, closing her eyes again.

"Yeah…. got new scars?"

"Some. Hope you don't mind them."

But she was already asleep, her breathing now steady and deep, the small muscles of her face relaxing.

For a long time Myers sat on the bed, resting his hand on her shoulder, just watching her sleep.


	34. Part II: Nice Abs!

**Part II: My baby left me!**

 **Chapter: Nice Abs**

* * *

Margot woke up to the scent of freshly ground coffee.

She stirred, stretched her stiff muscles, and enjoyed the feeling of floating in mid sleep, the smooth linen sheets on her skin, the softness of the pillow under her tired head, the smell of coffee and, something else, something so familiar that it made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside, the scent of… John?

Her eyes opened, and she sat up with a gasp.

Oh yes, it really was John's bed. And she was in it, without any memory of how she'd gotten there. She groaned in desperation, and closed her eyes again. What the fuck had happened last night? She remembered Kat, telling her about Botox' love spell… and then Tequila. She'd come to look for John, that much she remembered, but not much more. She glanced around, and noticed that her jeans were neatly folded on a nearby chair, but otherwise she seemed to be dressed, still wearing her tank top and panties.

"Happy birthday." Myers' voice interrupted her thoughts.

Margot looked to the door, and noticed John, leaning on the door frame, holding a large coffee mug in his fingers. His face was unshaved, and he was wearing a pair of stonewashed jeans with a white T-shirt. He looked absolutely gorgeous, and Margot's cheeks blushed at the sight of him. She had a vague memory of kissing him the night before.

"Thank you." she managed.

Yes, it really was her birthday. She had forgotten. Had it really been just a year before, that they'd celebrated her birthday in Brussels? Myers had bought the Massimo Dutti suit for the occasion, and-

"26, right?" he asked.

Margot nodded, still trying to get hold of her slippery memories.

"Yeah. Listen…" she blushed. "About last night. We didn't… um, do it. Did we?"

"No, we didn't. I just helped you off your jeans, they're on the chair. You seemed to be uncomfortable sleeping them on, so."

"Right." Margot nodded. "Thanks."

"You want some coffee?"

Coffee? Hell, yes. Even if she didn't exactly suffer from hangover, Margot knew that caffeine would definitely help to clear her thoughts.

"Please. With milk and-"

"Sugar. Yeah, I remember how you like it." Myers replied, and turned to walk to the kitchen.

Margot watched him go, heard how he poured coffee into a mug and opened the fridge to get milk. She felt oddly out of place, like this was a dream. Perhaps it was, but if so, she never wanted to wake up.

She hadn't slept this well in months, and she knew it was because she'd been with him. He had stayed with her, the whole night, his familiar, comforting closeness keeping her safe in her sleep.

Silently Margot slipped out of the bed, and headed for the small bathroom to clean up, and to have a moment to think.

* * *

When Myers returned to the bedroom, holding a cup of coffee, he noticed the bed was empty. He placed Margot's mug on the night stand, and took a seat on the bed, leaning his back to the wall, still trying to grasp the thought that Margot had really spent the night here.

" _I love you. I love you so much."_ she had said last night, whether she remembered it or not. That certainly gave him something to think about.

In a minute or so the bathroom door opened, and Margot stepped back into Myers' view. She was only wearing her panties and the tank top, her hair was a curly mess, a red halo around her small face, and her cheeks were rosy. She didn't meet his eyes, as she quickly returned to the bed, and slipped between the sheets, by his side.

Myers picked up the mug, and handed it to her - their hands almost touching as he did so.

"A lot of milk, and two sugars." he said.

A short moment of silence. Margot tasted her coffee, and gave him a small, shy smile - a sight that took his breath away, and made his heart skip a beat.

"You kept my toothbrush." she said then. "And my other cosmetic products."

"Yeah, I did."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "Couldn't make myself to throw them away, I guess."

"It's a good thing you didn't."

Myers didn't reply. He just looked at her, at her slender fingers holding the mug, her pale face and the red spots burning on her cheeks. Not that he didn't like her being here, but still - this was an unexpected sight after the way she had treated him for the past few weeks. And he needed to know what was it about.

"Margot… why are you here, really? I need an explanation."

Margot looked down, and bit her lip. She seemed to hesitate before answering.

"What did I tell you yesterday? I seem to have some gaps in my memory."

"Not much, really." Myers shrugged. "You said you had hated me for nothing, and that it wasn't my fault, none of it. I didn't understand, so please, explain now."

"Can I ask you something first?" she looked up to his face, her green eyes suddenly sad and serious.

"Sure. Go ahead." he replied.

"I need to see. I need to see what really happened with Beatrix Connelly."

His first instinct was to decline. He had played that damn tape in his mind a million times, trying to understand what had happened, trying to see how he could've avoided it. But there was something in Margot's eyes, that made him realize he had to let her see. If he didn't, they'd never get over this.

"Alright." he breathed. "If you must."

"Thank you." she raised her hand, placed it carefully on the side of his head, her fingers slightly brushing the skin of his temple.

He gasped, feeling the familiar pain and euphoria, of their minds merging. But yet, this time was different. It wasn't a union of minds, it was Margot, going through his memories as if she'd been browsing through a book. Myers felt helpless, with no control of his own thoughts, as she rushed through the past months, searching for the moment all had went to Hell. She had never read his mind like this before, and it sure wasn't pleasurable.

And then, the images of him kissing Beatrix, her hands on the waistband of his trousers, him pushing her hard against the wall and letting his tongue find hers. Myers tried in vain to push the memories away. He didn't want to see them, he didn't want for Margot to see them, but there was nothing he could do.

"Margot, don't." he pleaded. "Please-"

"Hush." she breathed. "Don't fight it, John. Let me see."

But she hardly needed his permission. She reached even deeper into his mind, to see what he had felt and thought on those moments - all of his shock and self loathe, the desperate need to resist Connelly's advances. He heard his own voice telling her again and again to stop, to leave, to go away, countless times, until the moment he threw her to the floor.

Gasping, Margot finally let go of him.

Her green eyes were huge, her face pale as death, as she looked him deep in the eye.

"She drugged you. And she abused you." her voice was failing her.

Myers blinked a few times.

"What... ? What do you mean, she drugged me?"

"Kat told me yesterday." Margot whispered. "She had found a perfume bottle from Connelly's room, and it turned out to be a some kind of a love potion."

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

"I'm not." Margot turned her eyes back to her coffee mug, her hands slightly shaking. "It was designed to lure men into her trap, to make every guy her willing slave. But you, John… you resisted her."

Myers didn't reply. He leaned his head heavily on the wall, letting a desperate sigh escape his lips.

Beatrix had drugged him. She had put a spell on him, to make him walk into a trap. Yeah, he could see that now, but yet it didn't really make him feel any better. He felt so damn stupid for not seeing her schemes, that it was all but unbearable.

"John?" Margot's voice asked.

"Yeah?" he turned to look at her.

"That was a kick ass move, to be able to resist her. The spell should've made you her willing sex slave, but you fought it."

He made a snort.

"Not well enough." there was a bitter taste in his mouth. "She got what she wanted anyways. That's why she drugged me, right? To get you out of the way."

"Yeah, me and Kat." Margot said. "Kat says it was that bitch, who convinced HB that he should reconsider his relationship with Kat."

"Really?" Myers asked. "I did wonder where Red got that stupid ass idea to leave Kat. Should've guessed."

Margot gave him a small smile, but her eyes were still sad - and he could hardly blame her. This was a messed up thing, a way more than either one of them had bargained for. Myers knew he wasn't the only one who's summer had been a living Hell.

"John." she breathed. "I'm so sorry."

"For what?"

"For everything. You didn't cheat on me. You did nothing wrong, and you tried to tell me that. But I didn't listen."

He was silent for a few heartbeats, turning his gaze away from her.

There was anger in him, and pain - he couldn't deny that. He had been through Hell. What had happened in these past months, had changed him, and his heart wasn't as light as it had once been.

"No, you didn't listen." he replied silently.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, John. I walked into Connelly's trap, blindly. I believed the lie she fed me, without giving you a chance to set it right. I should've had more faith in you."

"Yeah." Myers looked down. "But how could have you known? It wouldn't have made any difference, had you let me explain. Even I didn't know I was under a spell. I had no idea what made me act like that."

"No, John. I failed you. You weren't the one who let me down, it was the other way around. I'm so sorry for that, I really am. Can you… can you ever forgive me?"

Margot's voice was nothing more than a faint whisper, her gaze was full of fear and love. And suddenly Myers knew, none of the things that happened, really mattered. Not the spell, not the deception, not the miserable pain of losing Margot, or the sleepless nights, or even the almost dying in the Pyramid. It was all in the past, and he chose not to live in that anymore.

All that mattered, was Margot. This short moment in the bed with her, her eyes fixed in his face, felt like an eternity. All the possibilities, all the universes were open for him, and he reached for the one he wanted.

"I can't live without you, so what choice do I have?" he breathed - and kissed her.

With a surprised gasp, her lips opened to him. She buried her fingers into his hair, and pulled him closer, shivering from an emotion that bubbled in her mind like molten lava.

The kiss was slow, and deep, and raw. She invited for his tongue to enter, and to find hers, and the taste of her mouth, the coffee and the toothpaste, made his blood boil in his veins.

"I want you." Margot breathed into the kiss. "Thad, please..!"

Myers groaned, and pulled her into his arms. She made a small gasp, feeling his arms around her, as he pulled her into his lap, so that her slender thighs were on both sides of his. Margot's light weight on him made him feel a primitive need, that overtook his conscious mind and he almost lost it. He laid his impatient hands on her tiny waist, moved them to her hips, and a low, animal growl escaped his lips into her mouth.

"Christ, Margot, I-" he rasped, sliding his fingers under her top.

"Yeah, I know." she breathed, removing the top with one swift move. "I missed this too."

Her lips were back on his, her kissed hungry and desperate. She buried her fingers deep into his hair, succumbing to their kisses until she was breathing fast, and her heartbeat was rapid like the wings of a hummingbird. Myers let her kiss him the way she wanted to, let her set the pace, leaning his back against the wall. It made him high headed, feeling the need in her kisses, reading it from her mind. Groaning into the kiss, Myers let his hands find Margot's breasts, and palmed them hard, making her gasp. Christ, they felt so good! Small, but firm, their hardened nipples like cranberries under his touch.

"Oh, harder!" Margot moaned, as he gently tugged on them - and then did as he was told, pinching her nipples hard with his fingers.

"Jesus, Thad…!" she gasped, and Myers read her pleasure from her mind, like an electric shock that went through them both, making him moan too. He grabbed her breast harder now, while moving the other hand to her crotch. Even through the fabric of her panties he could feel that she was wet already, slick and swollen for him.

His fingers were ruthless, pulling the crotch of her panties to the side, finding her tender, dripping folds. Oh, he found her clit so easily, her need guiding his hand, and a desperate wail of need and pleasure escaped Margot's lips into his mouth, as he pressed his palm against it and began to massage.

"Oh, fuck, John, I-" her sentence was interrupted by yet another kiss from his lips, her words turning into an animal moan as he entered two fingers into her tight, swollen heat. She pressed her crotch tight against his hand, and wrapped her trembling arms around his neck. From the way she swayed her hips, he could read just how much she needed him. It made his erection throb and ache in the pressure of his jeans. But it wasn't his hand she needed inside of her, it was his-

"I need to lose the pants." he rasped, pulling his hand away.

"Yeah." she breathed, her eyes huge, her pupils dilated.

She sat back, but didn't get up. Her fingers were on the waistband of his jeans, rushed to open the buttons and pull down his boxers - to release his cock from the agony of his pants. It stood hard, it's veins pulsing with blood and desperate need, and Margot's cool fingers slid on it on a way that made Myers bit his lip.

"Oh, I missed this…!" she gasped, as she straddled him, and guided him in. His shaft sunk deep into her heat, with one sweet, long shove, as his hips answered her passion.

"Christ, Margot!" he moaned. His hands gripped her waist, the softness of her hips, her sharp hip bones that arched high under her silky skin. It felt even better than he had remembered, the sweet sensation of stretching her open, drinking the echoes of her pleasure from her mind. He let her set the pace - slow, deep, leisurely, but yet desperate and raw. Her need surrounded her like a deep well, and he felt like falling. His hips answered her sways with exigent need, as he thrusted his cock deep inside of her.

"Hold me!" she breathed. "Please…!"

He wrapped his arms around her slender form, her shivering body, and pulled her close. The hardened nipples of her small breasts brushed against his chest, and made him groan. But there were too many clothes still, his T-shirt and jeans, and her panties, and they just needed to go, right now!

Groaning, he broke the kiss, and laid Margot down on the bed. He ripped off her panties, all soaked with her fluids, and got rid of his own remaining clothing, just to get on top of her, back inside of her, into the sweet oblivion and bliss he knew he'd only find within her.

For there was _nothing_ but this moment.

Nothing but the way their bodies moved together.

Nothing, but her hands on his back, her fingernails in his skin, the way her legs wrapped around his hips, begging for him to push harder, deeper. She was gasping for air now, sobbing and crying out his name, and he knew she was on the edge, just as he was too, and he only needed to keep on doing just what he was doing, and-

"John!" she gasped. "Please, I'm gonna-"

And her back arched from the mattress, her inner muscles clenching tight around his aching shaft, and her mind pulled him with her. Together they fell Into the sweet release, the blissful gratification, and as he came, he cried out her name.

* * *

Still trying to catch his breath, burying his face into the sweaty skin of her neck, he wrapped his arms tight around her trembling form.

"I love you." he breathed into her hair. "Gods, I love you so much."

"I take it you forgive me, then?" she whispered.

"Hell, yes. But only if you forgive me too."

"Nothing to forgive. You are perfection." she whispered, taking his breath away.

He rose up to support his weight on his lower arms, to take a look at her face.

He loved the way she looked right after sex - her cheeks burning, her lips all red and swollen from the kissing, her pupils dark and dilated. It was mind blowing to know he had made her look like this, feel like this. He had made her come, and his cock that was still deep inside of her, felt the last waves of her orgasm as a proof of what had just happened.

"I'll never let you leave this bed again." he rasped. "I swear, I'll never let you walk out of that door, not ever again."

"Okay." she breathed.

"I'm going to spend the rest of my life in this bed, making love to you."

"I'm liking that plan." Margot made a small laugh, and he couldn't resist, but kissed her again. Christ, her mind on his was nothing but love, and pleasure, and it was the best thing in the world.

But just then there was a loud knock on the door, and they both startled.

Myers broke the kiss, groaning. "I'm _so_ not going to get that!"

Margot giggled. "You'd better. It could be important."

"Nothing is as important as this."

She pulled him closer, for a short, gentle kiss, but it was interrupted by yet another loud banging from the door. Someone was really trying to get their attention.

"Go on." Margot gave him a smile of a vixen. "We'll continue afterwards. It's not like I'm going anywhere."

"Oh, fine." he gave in, pulled out of her, and got up from the bed.

The bangning from the door continued, as he quickly stepped into his jeans, and buttoned them up.

"Coming!" he shouted, running his fingers through his hair.

He had barely had time to open the door, as a blue figure rushed into his room, without stopping to ask for a permission.

"Myers, what the Hell took you so long!" Kat spat out. "I need your help!"

"Yeah? What is it?" Myers replied. He glanced nervously towards his bedroom, but luckily the bed - with naked Margot - wasn't visible from here.

"Margot's gone missing."

"She's what?"

"I told her something yesterday, something she didn't take that well, and she rushed out of my room with a bottle of Tequila… and I haven't heard from her since!" Kat's voice was strained, and her blue face palish from worrying. "She didn't come back the whole night, and I'm worried sick. You've got to help me find her, John."

"Um, you see, the thing is-" he felt like blushing. What the Hell was he going to say to her?!

"No John, you don't get it! Margot was really erratic, even more than usually. I'm worried she might have done something to herself. It's not like her to disappear like this, without letting me know she's fine."

"She's fine, believe me." Myers stated.

"Huh?" Kat raised an eyebrow. "You've heard from her?" she glanced around his room. "Hey, kid - isn't that _my_ Tequila bottle on the table?!"

"Kat, calm down. I'm right here." Margot's voice interrupted Kat, and both her and Myers looked towards the bedroom. There was Margot, leaning on the door frame, wearing nothing but a bed sheet she'd wrapped around her naked form.

Kat glanced from Margot's flagrant 'I've just had sex' -look back to Myers. She blinked a few times, suddenly taking notice that he was in fact still shirtless.

"Oh." Kat said, and broke into a grin. "I see."

"I'm sorry I didn't call you." Margot said. "First I was too drunk, and then I was… um, busy."

"Yeah, I can see that." Kat grinned, and made a small laugh. "Busy, indeed. So… you guys back together, then?"

Myers cleared his throat. He felt his cheeks burning.

She glanced at Margot, who was trying to suppress a smile by biting her lip.

"We're… still working on that." he managed. "We were kinda in the middle of something."

"Yeah, I bet you were." Kat laughed. "Get back onto it then, lovebirds. I'll leave you in peace. And I'll tell the guys not to bother you today, Manning too."

"Thanks Kat." Margot said. "Later, let's have a beer and I'll tell you all about it."

"You'll what?" Myers asked. Christ, could he blush any more?!

"Just girl talk." Kat reassured. "Don't worry boyscout - I'm not into details. But Myers, seriously, if you mess this up again, I will kill you, you hear me? Be nice to her this time, and keep your dick where it's supposed to be."

"Kat, please." Margot laughed. "Just go on, already."

"Yeah, yeah." Kat waved her hand and turned to leave. "See you later. But hey, Myers?"

"Yeah?" he asked, walking her to the door.

"Nice abs." She winked, and disappeared with a 'bamf'.

* * *

 **Okay, folks! This was it, the part II of my story!**

 **Myers and Margot are happily together again, yay. But as always, more drama is just waiting to happen! Keep on reading if you will, and please, please, if you've managed to read this far, then take a short moment of your time and review! Your reviews are the thing that most motivates me to keep on writing, so please, reward me with one. :)**

 **And super, hyper thanks to 'Flint and Feather' for your support! You are the best.**


	35. Part III: Old Injuries

**The first chapter of the part III! Please, review! Every single review is highly appreciated. Thank you for reading!**

* * *

 **Part III: Family Matters**

 **Chapter: Old Injuries**

* * *

 **Two months later:**

"I've always loved Halloween!" Margot exclaimed. "We should have a party."

Kat gave her a dubious look. They were sitting on the breakfast table on the mess hall of BPRD, Kat enjoying a huge pile of pancakes, Margot nibbling on her chocolate muffin, mainly concentrating on her enormous coffee mug.

"How come you're this excited? You don't even have Halloween in Europe." Kat stated outright.

"Well, I'm officially a BPRD agent now, and this is my first Halloween in the US". Margot turned to look at Myers who was sitting by her side. "If that's not a good reason for a party, I don't know what is. Right, John?"

"Right." he smiled. "A party sounds great."

"He's only saying that, because you're holding his hand under the table." Kat snorted. "Don't think I can't see you."

"Hey!" Both Margot and Myers exclaimed simultaneously, sharing even the same facial expressions, which made Kat give them a long 'I told you so' -look.

Margot frowned and reluctantly let go of Myers' hand.

"The point is, that I want to celebrate." she continued, leaning closer to Kat across the table. "We've worked like Hell all this fall, and we didn't even really celebrate my birthday in August-"

"We kinda did." Myers noted, sipping his coffee.

"You giving me a dozen orgasms was great, but I wouldn't really call it a party."

"I would. It was probably the best party _I've_ ever been to." Myers replied.

"Party is something that involves more than two people, and they're usually not naked." Margot was silent for a few heartbeats. "Though sometimes they are. I remember this crazy vampire party Lucien threw in Brussels, where-"

"Eww." said Kat. "I don't want to hear this."

"Yeah, me neither." said Myers. "Vampires? God Margot, you're not planning to invite those to our Halloween party, are you?"

"So we _are_ having a party, then?" Margot grinned. "Great! It's going to be so much fun!"

Myers gave Kat a look that told he had some concerns about Margot's enthusiasm - a thing they both shared.

"Just don't get too excited." Kat stated. "Not everyone here really likes Halloween, for obvious reasons."

"Fine. But everyone loves a party - at least one of my parties" Margot gave a sly smile. "I'm famous for them."

"That's what I'm worried about." said Kat.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Margot exclaimed.

But Myers stopped the beginning argument by taking Margot's hand on his, and giving her the most tender, loving look.

"If you want to have a party, we'll have a party, okay? If it makes you happy, then yeah, we'll do it. I'll help you." He leaned to give a small kiss to Margot's cheek, and brushed her lips gently with his fingers, making Margot's cheeks blush.

"Yeah, okay." Margot breathed. "Thanks."

It was obvious, that just touching him was enough to take her breath away, and it suddenly made Kat feel she should leave these two alone. There was such intimacy in the way Myers touched Margot, that it made her shiver.

But the moment was over in a heartbeat. Myers stood up to leave, reluctantly letting go of Margot.

"I must go. I should hit the gym before work. I'll see you later?"

"Yeah, see you. Just don't strain that arm too much, John." Margot replied.

"Don't worry." He gave a smile. "I'll strain it just enough."

Kat watched as Myers walked away, and then turned to meet Margot's eyes.

"So, tell me. His arm still isn't fine?" Kat asked

"No, it isn't." Margot frowned. "And it sucks that it's his right arm, it affects everything. No matter the physiotherapy and the gym, it just isn't what it used to be. The muscle was ripped in pieces after all, so it's never gonna fully heal. And the shoulder too. I know it still hurts, even if he doesn't admit it."

"It's been more than a year. My guess is, it's not gonna get any better."

"Yeah, mine too." Margot looked down. "But John won't hear about it. He still thinks that the muscle's gonna build back by doing enough weight training in the gym."

"Huh." Kat replied.

Yeah, he'd noticed that Myers was a familiar sight on the gym, where he worked out with HB on a daily bases. He might not have the same bulky, muscular built Hellboy had, but for a slightly built guy he had nice, lean and toned body - a one Kat knew Margot adored.

She was silent for a while, concentrating on her pancakes, and giving the matter some thought. There had been so many more pressing concerns, than Myers' injuries during these past months, that she had almost forgotten about it. It wasn't until lately, that they've started to spend more time together again, that she'd noticed how much they still bothered Myers.

"There might be something I'd be able to do about them." she said after a while.

"What do you mean?"

"You know, giving some of my life force might help with the healing."

Margot shook her head. "No, absolutely not!"

"Why not?"

"You know why. I won't have you dying to heal John. He's arm might not be fully recovered, but it's working well enough. It's just not worth it."

"Come on, it's not like I'm gonna die of healing an injured muscle." Kat rolled her eyes. "I practically brought HB back from the dead, and even that didn't kill me."

"Just don't. You've told me yourself, that you can't really control your healing powers. Something might go wrong, and how do you think that would make me feel? You're not really a healer, and you know it."

That was true, but Kat hated to admit it. She shrugged, and finished her pancakes, still pondering on the matter. Perhaps she should go straight to Myers about this, even if it would piss off Margot. Kat was fairly certain, that she wouldn't cause herself any permanent damage by giving away just a bit of her life force. Though she wasn't 100% certain, which made her frown. To Hell with her unstable powers! Why couldn't she be more like her brothers, who-

And just then the thought hit her, and she looked up from her plate to Margot's eyes.

"What about Jay and Andy?" she asked.

Margot put down her coffee mug. "What about them?"

"They're healers. Both of them. They could fix Myers in a heartbeat."

Margot was silent for a few heartbeats, her eyes narrowing.

"And it took you a year to realize that?" her tone was slightly tense. "Seriously, Kat. After all the surgery, physiotherapy and painkillers that John's had to go through, and now you tell me this?"

Kat shrugged, avoiding Margot's eyes.

"I'm not really that close with my brothers, you know it. I haven't heard from them in years! The last time I saw Jay was when you two-"

"Oh yeah." Margot blushed. "I remember that."

"Yes, me too - all too well. And I remember his presence giving me a constant headache and a high blood pressure, which shouldn't even be possible for me. You know I only get along with my brothers when they're in an alternate reality, and we don't have to see each other too much."

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have put you through that."

"Nah, don't be. I know Jay has that effect on girls - and guys too." Kat snorted. "He can't help it, really. He just want's to make everyone happy, with sex, if possible."

"Yeah. He certainly made _me_ happy." Margot giggled. "Damn, I shouldn't be thinking about this! John makes me a way happier than Jay ever did, to be honest. I can't even compare."

"And I'm glad to hear that. But back to the point, I think my brothers might be able to help Myers."

"You'd really do that for him?" Margot asked. "Ask your brothers here, even if it will drive you nuts?"

"Yeah. Myers is a good guy. Besides, I wouldn't be doing it for him. I'd be doing it for you."

"Really?"

"Really. You killed Botox for me, so this is the least I can do." Kat gave her friend a smile. "Just promise you won't sleep with Jay this time, okay? Or Andu."

"Christ! What do you take me for?" Margot laughed. "I'd never do that to John."

"Yeah, I know that." Kat replied. "But I'm not so sure about my brothers."


	36. Part III: Halloween

**Part III: Family Matters**

 **Chapter: Halloween**

* * *

Myers and Kat had just finished hanging up the last decorations in the big meeting room Margot had managed to get for the party, and he took a moment to look around.

Yeah, he had to admit, Margot was a natural born party planner. She'd managed to turn this dull meeting room into a dark, menacing hall from a medieval castle, just by using candles and blood red festive lights, black tablecloths, and black lace curtains they had hang on the walls. There were old, creepy looking candelabras and statues (that Margot had probably sneaked out of Broom's library) on the tables and corners of the room, and she'd chosen a playlist of Halloween themed music and horror sounds, that did add up to the atmosphere.

And of course there was a ton of things to eat and drink, including cakes that looked like real human brains (though Myes wondered who on Earth would want to eat those), and a bowl of eerie looking, dark blue punch, that had dry ice in it, making it bubble and steam. There was also a huge cooler, that contained all sorts of beers for those who weren't into the punch. Myers had to admit, that all looked great. About time, though, for the party was supposed have started already, and Margot had invited _everybody -_ including Manning.

Just then Margot stepped into the room, carrying a bowl of potato crisps, and laid it down on the table.

"Heyy, it's all done!" she exclaimed happily. "Thanks, John! And Kat too, I couldn't have done this without you."

But both Kat and Myers were momentarily left speechless, for they'd noticed what Margot was wearing.

Her red hair was on beautiful curls, and from them stuck out two pink, long and fluffy bunny ears. Her petite form was barely covered, for she was only wearing an incredibly sexy black outfit which's top part was a tight corset, and the bottom half a pair of super short hot pants. With them she wore a black bow tie on her neck, a pair of fishnet stockings and super high heels. And of course long, black satin gloves. Her thick fake lashes had little diamonds in them, that sparkled when she blinked, and she'd applied a generous amount of pink lipstick and rouge that matched the color of the bunny ears.

"Is that your costume? A playboy Bunny. Seriously, Margot?" Kat raised an eyebrow.

"What? I'm just embracing my new, American identity, full heartedly."

"But Playboy? What kind of an outfit is that for a feminist?"

"I'm sure as Hell feminist enough to wear the fuck I want." Margot replied, and gave Kat a smile. "Besides, I think it's just perfect for the occasion. I know John likes it."

"Yeah, I bet he does." Kat rolled his eyes.

Myers, couldn't say a thing, but nervously cleared his throat. Suddenly his tie and the collar of his shirt had begun to feel a bit too tight.

"John, you do think I look nice?" Margot giggled, and span around so that he'd see all of her skimpy, little outfit. "Look, there's a tail and all."

And oh yes, there really was a little bunny tail attached to her sweet, round backside, and it drew his eyes to the curves of her buttocks that were barely covered by the black fabric of her outfit, and her fishnet stockings. The costume hang to her curves like a glove, and it was good to see that she wasn't as thin as she'd been just a few months ago - her form was more like the one he remembered from before, strong and slender, and healthy.

"Nice is an understatement of the year. You look amazing." He managed, his voice suddenly a bit hoarse in his throat.

"Thanks!" Margot grinned. "So, where is your outfit?"

"I'm not really into that, Margot. I told you so."

"What?! That won't do. I mean, I know Kat won't wear a costume for she can turn blue anyways, and HB doesn't need one either… but you, John? We are the hosts of this party, we must make an effort."

She seemed so disappointed that Myers almost felt bad for her, but there was no way he'd let her force him into a Halloween costume.

"Sorry, Margot. No deal." he shook his head. "Your costume is quite enough to get all the attention you need."

"Hm." Margot snorted. She waved her hand, and Myers felt his shirt and tie ripping to pieces as if he'd been attacked by an invisible tiger.

"Christ, Margot!" he exclaimed. "You must stop destroying my clothes!"

"She does that a lot?" Kat raised an eyebrow.

"You don't want to know, believe me." Myers muttered, taking a look of his damaged shirt. "Come on, Margot, what did you do this for?!"

Margot shrugged. "Now you have a costume. A zombie attack victim, perfect for the party. Kat, would you mind spilling some of that fake blood on him, to make it perfect?"

"Sure." Kat grinned. "Com'ere Myers."

Myers gave a long sigh, and did as he was told. His clothes were ruined as it was, so he let Kat decorate his upper body with a sticky, red liquid that was supposedly the mentioned 'fake blood'.

When Kat was done, Myers took a look at the mirror. His nice, light blue shirt and the silk tie were in shreds, and his skin visible all over. There was 'blood' on his clothes, and also on his face, and all in all he looked like he'd walked through a cage of velociraptors.

"Nice." he frowned. "Just like any other day at the office."

"Awww, you're adorable." Margot said with a wink. "Loosen up a bit, I'll soon give you something else to think about."

* * *

A few hours later, the room was full of people. Everyone was cheerfully drunk, and by the looks of it, having a really good time. Many of the guests were wearing Halloween outfits, though not all, and Myers spotted at least a few zombies, vampires, skeletons and such. (It gave him grate comfort, that this time they weren't real.)

But no one was as pretty in their costume, as Margot.

"Jut look at her, Abe. Am I not the luckiest guy on Earth?" he noted to his friend.

Abe gave a small laugh. "Yes, you are very fortunate indeed."

Myers sipped his beer, not once turning his eyes away of Margot. Gods, she was so hot! The way her hips were swinging as she walked, the silly little bunny tail on her round bottom moved with every step, and he just couldn't keep his eyes off it. To Hell if he was staring at her, he thought. After all, he was the only guy in this room who had the right to do that, and to take her home after the party.

"I'm gonna ask her to marry me." Myers suddenly confessed, turning to look at Abe.

"Ah. That is a good thing, and I congratulate you. But is this not a bit sudden?"

"It's not like I'm gonna ask her now." Myers laughed. "Or tomorrow. But I will, when the time is right. But Abe… you are a telepath. Tell me, is she going to tell me to shut up or sod off, when I do?"

"You are as much of a telepath as I am, when it comes to her." Abe said. "You know her true feelings, better than any of us. And you know that she'll say yes."

"Yeah, I think so." Myers blushed. "But it would be nice to be certain."

"There is no certainty in life, or love, my friend. It is always a gamble."

"So I've learned. And right now things seem to be so good, that I keep wondering when is the next disaster going to hit us."

"Then enjoy the peace and quiet as long as it lasts. It never does for a long time, in our job."

"There's never peace and quiet with Margot, I tell you that much." Myers took a gulp of his beer. "But I'm not complaining."

Abe made a small, soft laugh, and tilted his head, his huge, black eyes reflecting the candle lights in the dimly lit room.

"Good. You do not have much to complain about, John. I take it that everything is going smoothly now, that you officially live together?"

"Yeah, everything's great. Gods, I'm so glad Margot finally gave up sleeping on Kat's couch - and I think that Kat's kinda happy about it too."

Myers turned his eyes back to Margot, who was chatting with Kat and Hellboy, and his heart immediately skipped a beat. He wouldn't deny that this was the happiest he had ever been. Three weeks ago Margot had finally agreed to move in with him, and he felt like he'd won in a lottery. Waking up every morning so, that her sweet face was the first thing he saw… well, he sure as Hell was never going to give that up again. They had talked about getting a bigger flat now, so that they could get Margot's stuff from Brussels and her cat Godiva moved here too, but apparently there weren't that many available at the moment on BPRD.

Through the crowd Margot glanced at Myers, and the way she looked at him took his breath away. She gave him a sly smile, excused herself to Kat and HB, and began walking towards Myers across the room.

Myers cleared his throat. The look in her eyes told him just what she wanted of him, and it made his core ache with need.

"Abe, I'm gonna talk to my girlfriend for a while, okay?" he muttered, placing his beer on the table.

"Ah, you lovebirds." Abe sighed, but Myers hardly heard him. He walked to meet Margot, and without a word he wrapped his arms around her slender waist and pulled her close for a kiss.

Christ, the way her body answered his, the way their minds merged! It took his breath away, and made his blood burn in his veins. She buried her fingers into his hair, and opened her lips for the kiss, sucking his lower lip into her mouth on a way that made Myers groan.

He had to break the kiss. They were on a public place for Heaven's sake!

"Damn you Margot, for looking this good." Myers breathed to her hair, wrapping his arms around her. "You're making it really hard for me to concentrate in anything else."

"I'm making ' _it'_ really hard?" Margot chuckled. "I'm sure liking the sound of that."

Myers felt his heart pounding, and his hands ached to feel the curves of her hips. Yeah, he was getting hard, and she knew it too, feeling the erection pressing against her lower abdomen. He had to really fight his urges, to be able to keep his hands on her waist, and not let them wander to her gorgeous backside.

"So, what do you say, we slip out of the party, and head to our place for some Playboy Bunny action?" he suggested, his voice thick and low in his throat.

Margot made a small, arousing laughter, and snuggled even closer to him.

"My, my John, why so eager? You're really liking my outfit?"

"Yeah, I am." he breathed. "And I can tell you, I'm not the only one. Half of the guys are practically drooling over you, though you probably knew that already."

"And the other half?" Margot raised an eyebrow.

"They must be blind or gay. For you are no doubt the hottest girl in this party."

"Well, there isn't really that much competition." Margot shrugged. "Not that many women are working in BPRD. I should have a chat with that misogynist Manning about it, sooner or later."

"Well, not tonight, I hope. I can think of some other things to keep you busy with."

Manning, the _last_ thing Myers wanted to think about right now. To drive that image out of his mind, he pulled Margot to another kiss, burying his fingers into her short, sassy curls, breathing in her intoxicating scent of roses, cinnamon and punch. He let himself fall into her mind, into the images she sent to him, of the things they'd do as soon as they'd get out of this room. And by God, did they make him want to leave this party right away!

But just then, a male voice interrupted their moment of passion.

"Heeeey, Margot! You're looking gorgeous!"

Margot broke the kiss, and turned to see who had dared to disturb this moment - but when she did, her annoyed frown instantly melted into a delighted grin.

"Jay?!" she laughed, and let go of Myers, just to throw herself in Jay's arms. He squeezed her tight, lifting her feet from the floor and giving her a spin.

Myers watched in dismay, as a tall, annoyingly handsome guy, with a strikingly blue skin and slightly pointed ears, finally let go of Margot, letting her put her feet back to ground.

"What are you doing here?! It's been ages!" Margot laughed.

"No more than a few years, but you've managed to get even prettier." the blue man winked. "Nice outfit, I love the tail. So, who is this lucky guy, who by the looks of it, was going to get even luckier soon?"

Margot turned to look at Myers, and the way her cheeks had blushed, brought the foul taste of jealousy on his lips.

"This is-" Margot began, but Myers interrupted her.

"John Myers." he said, offering his hand to the blue man. "Margot's boyfriend."

"Oh, her boyfriend? Aren't you a lucky bastard." the guy gave an impish grin, taking Myers' hand on a firm, friendly grip. "I'm Jay, Kat's brother."

"Yeah, I've heard of you." Myers said.

"I bet you have. But only good stuff, I hope!"

"There's hardly anything else to be said about you." Margot giggled, on a way that made Myers' guts go on a tight knot. "Let me get you a beer, Jay! And then you'll tell me what are you doing here. I don't remember inviting you."

"You didn't." Jay grinned, accepting the beer Margot offered him. "A thing I'm a bit offended by the way, but you have a boyfriend, so I get it. You don't want distractions."

"I'm right here, you know." Myers muttered, but no one paid him any attention at all.

"So, Kat invited you then?" Margot asked of Jay.

"Well, actually she invited Andu, but he couldn't make it. Busy saving the world and grumbling, I guess. So I had to step up."

"I'm glad that you did." Margot grinned. "It's great to see you again!"

"Likewise." Jay winked, and Myers noticed how he checked out Margot's boobs.

Myers had definitely seen enough of this. Determinately he walked to Kat, who was chatting with Red, and walked right into middle of it.

"Kat, you're brother is here." he stated on a grim voice. "You care to tell me why the fuck did you invite him?"

"Andu here already?" Kat turned to look at Myers.

"No, the other one." Myers rolled his eyes.

"What?!" Kat exclaimed. "Oh crap."

"My thoughts exactly."

"What's going on, babe?" Hellboy asked. "You asked your brothers here?"

"I asked one brother." Kat replied. "There's something I need to talk to him about. It's important."

"Yeah?" Myers said, rather pointedly. "I suggest you make haste with it, then. 'Cause I'm resisting an urge to punch him in the face right now."

"Don't sweat it, Myers." Kat said. "I'll deal with him."

And with that Kat left and rushed through the crowd to her brother, leaving Myers and Hellboy behind.

"Jay, what the Hell are you doing here?" she demanded.

"Nice to see you too, sis!" Jay grinned. "It's been a couple of years."

"Just answer my question, smart-ass." Kat rolled her eyes. "I was expecting Andu."

"Oh you know, he was too busy being Athos, so I took his place. I'm much more of a party animal than he is, and you know it."

Jay gave Margot a glance and a wink, that made Margot blush and giggle. Kat could hardly believe her eyes.

"I didn't ask you here for the party. It's a business trip - I need your help."

"Oh." Jay said, straightening up. "So, tell me, sis. What can I do for you?"

"I need you to check on Myers."

"The cute guy who's sleeping with Margot?" Jay laughed. "I'd be glad to check him out. He's hot."

"Again, not a vacation." Kat snapped. "Business, remember? I need you to heal his gun wounds. He was shot a year ago, and the wounds haven't healed that well. You could easily fix him, right?"

"Sure." Jay shrugged, and turned to look at Margot. "You want me to fix your boyfriend, so that he can give you some nice loving?"

"He can do that already, thank you very much." Margot giggled. "But yeah, if you could, it would be great."

"No problem!" Jay rubbed his hands together excitedly, picking up a beer with his long, blue tail, and bringing it to his lips for a swig. "But you'll have to get him into a quiet room with me, and preferably with no shirt on."

"Oh, and that was my plan for him tonight!" Margot laughed. "Can this wait until tomorrow? You're not in a hurry, are you Jay?"

"No, not at all. I can sleep on Kat's couch, right sis?"

Kat gave her brother an icy stare. "No. Under no circumstances."

"Why not?"

"Because you always bring girls to my place, and I hate it!"

"Ah well, I'll find myself another bed then." Jay shrugged. "So, who's that pretty brunette over there. She's totally checking me out."

"Agent Carson. And yes, she's single." Kat sighed. "Go to her already, we'll talk business in the morning."

"Right." Jay grinned, delighted. "But not too early, I hope. And hey, Margot?"

"Yes?" Margot's eyes sparkled as she looked up to Jay.

"Let me know if you get tired of the boyfriend."

"Yeah, not gonna happen." Margot laughed, but her cheeks blushed nevertheless. Kat rolled her eyes and gave a long sigh. The sooner she'd get Jay out of this reality, the better.

* * *

Margot took a look at John, who was standing by Hellboy, holding a beer in his hand, and every inch of his posture told Margot just how annoyed he was.

"Damn." Margot said to Kat. "I think I messed up."

"You think?" Kat said. "Chirping to Jay like a teenager… what were you thinking?"

"Nothing, as usual." Margot muttered. She tried to get John's attention, but he was positively avoiding her eyes. Great.

"Go to him, you idjit." Kat gave Margot a push. "Fix it! I'm NOT going to let you sleep on my couch anymore."

"Yeah, I'd better. Luckily I know just how to make him forget all about Jay."

Margot gave Kat an impish grin, and made her way through the crowd back to Myers.

"Hey, hon." she tiptoed to whisper the words to his ear.

"Got tired of the blue guy?" Myers asked, his tone slightly tense.

Margot slid her fingers through his, and giving him a tender look, said: "Come on, lover, let's get out of here. If I remember correctly, we were in the middle of something before he interrupted us."

Her tone was clear, and it made Myers' cheeks blush. Margot's heart skipped a beat - damn, how much she loved that sight! She excused them from Hellboy's company, and led her boyfriend through the crowd into the hallway.

It wasn't until they'd stepped out of the room into the relatively peaceful and quiet corridor, that Margot turned to look at Myers, and reached to give a small kiss on his lips.

"I'm sorry that I was an ass." she breathed. "But please, don't be jealous. You know how I hate it."

Myers was silent for a short while, his hands wandering to her waist, pulling her so close that she could clearly feel the tight muscles of his torso against her chest.

"I'm not jealous." He finally answered, and reading his mind from their touch, she knew it was true. "I'm just annoyed. You're my girl, and he was totally checking you out."

That made Margot laugh. "He was checking everyone out! He's Jay, that's what he does! Gods, he even told me he thought _you_ were hot."

"Say what?" Myers' cheeks blushed.

"Yeah." Margot laughed. "You into guys?"

"Not a bit." Myers replied. "I don't swing that way."

"Yeah, I know just the way you swing, honey." Margot purred, and pulled him into another kiss.

Christ, his lips on hers were hot and eager, his hands gripping her hips were rough, and Margot felt his need as if it was her own. The kiss was long and deep, his tongue found hers on a way that made her high headed and out of breath, and by the time he finally broke the kiss she felt so weak on the knees, she had to lean on him, not to topple over.

"Our place?" Myers breathed, cradling her in his arms. Margot clearly felt his hard erection pressing against her abdomen.

A few agents leaving the party passed them on the hallway, and made some drunken remarks by the sight of them, but Margot hardly cared. She gave them a smile, and waited until they'd gone, before answering John's question.

"I know a better place. It's not as far."

"Yeah? And what's that?"

But Margot was already leading the way, just around the corner to the women's toilet. Myers hesitated for a short moment, realizing where she was heading to. "You sure about this? I don't think we should-"

It did no good to argue, though, for Margot had already pulled him into the small room, and slammed the door with her mind.

"Shut up, and kiss me." she breathed, and yeah, he did as he was told. His hesitation of her choice of location seemed to diminish as he felt her lips on his. Groaning he pushed her against the tiled wall, making her gasp.

His hands on her hips were eager and impatient, his fingers digging into the softness of her curves.

"Jesus, Margot!" he breathed into the kiss. "What's with you tonight? First the costume, and now this place?"

Margot didn't answer, but just kissed him hard, opening her mouth for his tongue, feeling it enter her on a way she wanted him to enter every part of her body. Christ, she wanted him so bad! It had been a super turn on for her, to see how much he loved her costume, to see how his cheeks blushed when he let his gaze wander on her body.

And now, feeling the hard bulge on his pants, pressing against her, calling for her to touch it - it was intoxicating. She moved her hand to grab his cock through the fabric, palming it, and rubbing it hard, making him groan.

"Fuck, Margot!" he growled, and kissed her neck on a way Margot knew would leave a mark.

"Touch me…!" she breathed, sending the images of her wish to his mind, and he obeyed. His hands quickly pulled down her hotpants and stockings, and found her crotch. Margot made a soft moan of pure pleasure, feeling him ease his fingers inside of her.

"Christ, John… just there!"

"Yeah, I know." he groaned, and his fingers found her sweetest spots on a way that took her breath away.

 _Oh, Christ, he knows me too well!_

 _I'll never get enough of him. If I lose him again, I'll die!_

He knew just where and how to touch her, and it didn't take long for him to make her gasp and sob. Margot couldn't help it, her legs were shaking, and she felt the sweet, hot weakness taking over her body, and she had to grab Myers' shoulders to be able to stay on her feet.

The tiled wall was cold against her back, but Myers' fast breathing that fell to the skin of her neck, was hot, as hot as her blood that rushed in her veins. And his hand, his long, delicate fingers pressing just the right way on her clit, spreading her slick folds, finding her entrance and pushing inside - Margot knew she couldn't take this for much longer.

"Oh, please, please, please…!" a wail escaped her lips, one that was answered by Myers' eager hand. He added some pressure on her aching, swollen clit, and Margot cursed out loud.

"Fuck, Thad!" she moaned. "You're good...!"

He chuckled, and Margot could easily read his mind, the pleasure he got from hearing her say those words. He wrapped his left arm around her trembling form, holding her steady between his strong body, and the wall, and Margot let herself fall into the pleasure he was giving her. Her fingers gripped on his shoulders, her fingernails digging his skin, as the ecstacy engulfed her. His caresses sent her over the edge and she came, the fierce waves of her orgasm shooting stars into her mind.

He waited until she'd come down, before pulling his fingers away from the tender, sensitive heat of her crotch. Gently he rolled her hot pants back up. Resting her head on his shoulder, Margot gave a deep, satisfied sigh - hearing the familiar sound of his rapid heartbeat.

She felt still weak on the knees, and leaned on him, letting him cradle her in his arms until she felt like she could stand up again. But even if Margot now felt blissfully relaxed and deeply satisfied, she could still feel Myers' hot need in her mind, and his throbbing erection pressing tight against her abdomen, still in the agony of his pants.

This little escapade of theirs, was far from over.

"Your turn." Margot said, looking up to his face.

Myers didn't reply, but his hands were already opening his belt, and Margot helped him by finding his zipper and pulling it down. Without him having to ask for it, she knelt on the cold, hard floor before him, and revealed his large, rock hard erection. Margot let her gaze follow the pattern of veins on it's surface, up to it's head that was already dark red, almost purple in color. Her mouth watered at the sight of it.

"I love it." she breathed, gripping it tight. "It's so beautiful…!"

But the only answer he could give her, was a desperate animal growl that left his lips as she brought her lips to the head of his cock, and let it slid into her mouth. She took it slowly between her lips, feeling it's head with her tongue, enjoying every wondrous inch of it - the sweet combination of soft and hard, velvet over steel.

Christ, she loved the taste of it! The salty musk, the pure taste of masculinity, of lust and need. And she loved doing this, giving John this much pleasure. For she felt it, the echoes of his passion in her mind, and it was intoxicating.

"Margot, please-" he rasped.

" _Don't ask nicely._ " she sent to his mind. " _Be rude."_

"Just shut the fuck up, and suck it…!" he groaned. "And take it deep."

She obeyed him, sucking his shaft all the way to her throat making him groan and bite his lip.

Damn, she loved this! She _yearned_ for him to talk this way to her, all bossy and harsh, like she was nothing more than his little plaything, his slut even (though it had taken some time to make John believe it). Hearing his words made her arousal stir again, a hot bubbling sensation deep in her belly.

His hands were on her hair, gripping it tight, and Margot knew just what he wanted for her to do. She brought her hands to his cock, gripping hard on it's slick length, as she began to suck it, letting it slide back and forth between her lips, it's head hitting her throat with every intake.

He was already so turned on, that it didn't take long for Margot to bring him to the edge, to make him spit out curses and pant.

"I wanna see…!" he growled, and she knew what he meant.

He pulled out of her mouth, and Margot gripped hard on his shaft, pumping it rough until he groaned and came, his seed falling to her lips and her tongue, like a warm rain.

"Oh, fuck!" he moaned as he came, his voice raspy in his throat. "Christ, Margot...!"

She gave him a lustful look through her lashes. Slowly, she licked her lips, and swallowed all his cum, making sure he saw it. She then gently kissed the last drops off the sour, white liquid off his cock, while Myers leaned his back on the wall, trying to catch his breath.

When finally feeling back to normal, Myers knelt on the floor, and pulled Margot into his arms.

"Damn, do you have any idea how much I love you?" he breathed. "That was… that was fucking amazing."

Margot made a small, satisfied laughter, cuddling closer to him, enjoying the warmth of his body, of his strong arms around her.

"Yeah, it was pretty nice."

"Pretty nice?" Myers laughed, taking her face into his hands. He kissed her forehead, gently, his fingers caressing her curls. "No, seriously... You are surreal. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. Whatever you need, whatever you want… just tell me, and I'll do it."

Margot gave him a small kiss on the lips, a tender and sweet one. She felt his love like a sunshine in her heart, like a warm summer wind that brought the scent of the ocean, and it made her head spin.

 _This is love._ She thought to herself. _This is real love, and I'm never letting it go again. I'd die for him if he asked me to._

And suddenly the amount of affection she felt, scared the Hell out of her. To hide her thoughts from him, she quickly broke the kiss and stood up. This was a night to party, to get drunk and have fun, and to play some kinky sex games. No reason to get too serious.

She made sure her hot pants and stockings were in order, and took a look at the mirror to check on her makeup. The lipstick needed some fixing, but otherwise she seemed to be presentable.

She glanced at Myers through the mirror, giving him a sinful grin.

"Well, I do have one request." she said.

"Yeah, and what's that?" he answered, buckling up his belt.

"This outfit came with handcuffs. Pink and fluffy ones. You think you could put them on good use later tonight?"

"Handcuffs, huh?" Myers chuckled, giving her a rather puzzled look. "Where _did_ you buy that costume?"

"In a sex shop." she shrugged, pretending to be indifferent.

Myers blushed on that cute way that always made Margot's heart take some extra beats. He glanced at her via the mirror, his pretty blue eyes meeting hers, his hair still a mess after their moment of passion, and some dried fake blood stains on his cheeks.

"Bought anything else?" he asked.

"Some things." Margot grinned. "You'll see."


	37. Part III: Family is Everything

**Part III: Family Matters**

 **Chapter: Family is Everything**

* * *

End of November, was the time of the all-American, everybody's favourite holiday: Thanksgiving. Being a European, Margot didn't really know too much of that particular celebration, nor did she want to (mainly because she had always found the idea of millions of dead turkeys more than a bit disturbing). But Myers was about as American as anyone could be, so Thanksgiving bore special meaning to his Kansas-borne soul.

He had missed last year's holidays after being shot to pieces in Prague, so now that his big sister Sue-Ellen called to ask if he could come over for the Thanksgiving weekend, he wasn't about to refuse.

"Yeah, I'll make it this year." he promised on the phone. "I'm sure I'll get the weekend off, I haven't really had a holiday since last year."

"Still as busy as ever? You sure you're not working too much?" Sue-Ellen's voice sounded concerned. She had a habit of worrying over John.

"I'm fine, really." Myers replied.

And he truly was - after Jay had healed his gun wounds. He still found it weird, being able to move his arm like nothing had ever happened to it, all the muscles and nerves functioning perfectly. The nagging pain in his shoulder was gone too - no more painkillers to be able to sleep at night.

It had totally been worth it, even if he'd had to lay shirtless on a bed, Jay's hands on his bare chest - and the blue bastard winking at him as if they were about to do something else entirely.

The memory made him uncomfortable, and he forced himself back to the moment.

"Hey, Sue… can I bring someone?" he asked. "A guest for the Thanksgiving weekend."

"Oh!" her voice was instantly interested. "You've got a date?"

"Yeah, you could say so. I've got a girlfriend. Actually, we live together."

"You have a girlfriend who lives with you, and you didn't tell me?!"

Her voice was shocked, which made him feel more than a bit guilty.

 _Not the only thing I haven't told you, sis._

"I'm sorry. I know I've been distant. It's just… It's been ages since we've seen, and you know I'm not good at picking up the phone."

"Yes, it's been too long. My kids won't recognize their uncle soon. You'd better not miss this Thanksgiving! Besides, I'm dying to meet your girlfriend. She's the first one since… since Jessie, right?"

"Yeah, that's right." Myers noted. "Haven't had that much time for social life after getting this job."

"So, this new girl, she's your colleague then? Or are you going to be all secretive about her?"

There was laughter in Sue-Ellen's voice, and Myers couldn't help but to answer it. He could clearly see the image of his favourite sister in his mind; her blue eyes, her dark chestnut colour hair, her round face, that always seemed to have a smile on it.

"Her name is Margot." He replied, to ease her curiosity. "She's from Europe and yeah, we work together."

"That's all you're going to tell me?"

"You'll meet her in two weeks. I want you to get to know her yourself."

"Fine, have it your way." Sue-Ellen laughed. "Just tell me, you're living together, so it must be pretty serious, right?"

Myers was silent for a short while.

Serious? Hell, yes. Living with Margot had made it even more clear to him - that he belonged to her, he needed her like he needed the air he breathed. He still hadn't asked the big question, but he had a plan on how to do it already. And so far he had even managed to keep it all a secret from her.

"Yeah, it's serious." Myers paused for a few heartbeats. "Sue, she's The One."

"Really?" His sister asked, her voice suddenly emotional.

"Yes, really. I've never felt like this in my life."

"Oh, John." Sue-Ellen said, a smile in her voice. "I'm so happy for you. You know how I always worry about you, and this past year… I've hardly heard from you. So, it's good to know there's someone watching your back."

"She most certainly does that." Myers chuckled.

Saving his life two times in a year. A bad habit, Margot had called it, but a habit, nevertheless. Not that he could tell about it to his sister, though.

He hang up, feeling conflicted.

Yes, it was great to see the family again - truth be told, he had missed them. But seeing them was also a painful reminder of the life he knew he would never have. A normal life, without being in constant danger of losing one's life, without all the paranormal stuff that sometimes was too exhausting and nerve-racking. Besides, he didn't like lying to them about his work, but there really was no choice. If they knew what he really did for living… well, he just wanted for his niece and nephews to be able to sleep their nights in peace.

* * *

It turned out it was surprisingly easy to get Manning to give them a weekend off - something Margot might have helped, just a bit. But convincing Margot, that it was a good idea to spend their surprise vacation with Myers' extended family in Boston, proved to be more difficult than he had expected.

"John, I get it that it means a lot to you, but do _I_ really have to go?" she said, nervously walking around their small kitchen, her arms tightly hugging her slender form. "What if you went by yourself?"

"Come on, I already told my sister about you. What is she supposed to think if you never show up?" Myers replied from the bar stool.

"I dunno! But I'm _so_ not ready to meet your family."

"Yes you are."

"No, I'm not! What am I going to say to them? I have no idea how to deal with a family like yours. I've never had a big family myself."

Myers gave a sigh, and placed his coffee mug on the kitchen counter top.

"Just be yourself. It's going to be fine, they'll love you, how could they not?"

"I doubt it." Margot shrugged and made a face. "You're so in love with me, that you forget what I am. A freak. Even my own family didn't love me, so how is yours going to?"

Myers stood up, and walked to her. He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her, to comfort her, for he knew just what she was thinking about.

She still hadn't opened up to him about what had happened when she'd been 14 years old, and her family had abandoned her, but he had never pushed it. She'd talked about it when she was ready. But he had held her in his arms, shared her mind and her feelings enough times to have caught glimpses of it, of the things that always haunted her. Fear, pain, and doubt.

He knew Margot still found it hard to believe someone would actually love her, just as she was. Myers had every intention to prove her wrong, though.

"You have a family, Margot, and they love you." he said with a gentle tone. "And I've met them, even if I most certainly wasn't ready at the time."

Margot wrapped her arms around his waist, and pressed her head on his shoulder - his newly healed one.

"Yeah, I know." she sighed. "I'm super lucky to have Mom and Dad. If it wasn't for Dad… I don't know what would've happened to me."

"He seems like a great father." Myers agreed. "Even if he does hate me."

"He doesn't hate you!" Margot replied, with a small smile. "He's just a bit overprotective."

"Uhhuh." Myers raised an eyebrow. "He thinks I'm a monster who enjoys breaking your heart over and over again."

"That reminds me… You know what Dad said when I called him to tell that I was staying here?"

"Do I wanna know?"

"Probably not." Margot laughed. "But I'm gonna tell you anyways - that he'd personally arrange your execution if you ever hurt me again."

"See? I told you, your family loves you." He gave her a reassuring smile, even if he knew Dr. Heinemann had probably not been joking. "And my family will love you too, if you just give them a chance."

"Oh, fine." Margot finally agreed. "But we're so spending the Christmas in Hamburg."


	38. Part III: Eternal Flame

**Part III: Family Matters**

 **Chapter: Eternal Flame**

* * *

"We need to talk." Margot stated.

"About what?"

They had just finished having dinner, Chinese takeaway, and Myers was stuffing the boxes to the trash can. He turned to look at Margot, just to notice that her face was very serious, and she seemed to be avoiding his gaze.

"Hey, what is it?" he asked, immediately concerned. "You feeling okay?"

He had noticed she'd been quiet and absent minded during the dinner, but he hadn't thought too much about it. It had been a long day and Margot had worked her butt off trying to put some restless spirits in an old hotel to rest.

"Yeah, I'm fine… It's just. There's something really important I have to tell you. Before we go together to your sister's place. And Thanksgiving is next weekend."

"Okay. Then tell me, what is it?"

Margot was silent for a short while, nervously shifting from foot to foot, fidgeting an unopened pair of chopsticks in her restless fingers.

"You remember when we first started sleeping together, and I told you we didn't need birth control? That I had it covered?"

A cold sensation spread to Myers' chest. Oh yeah, he remembered all right. They'd never used condoms, for she had said they didn't need to, and he had trusted her word, thinking she was on the pill. But now, seeing the nervous look on her pale face, Myers felt a bit uneasy. She wasn't… pregnant, was she?

"Yeah, I do. Why?"

"Well. The reason I told you that, was that… that I can't have children. Not ever."

 _Oh. So definitely not pregnant._

Myers wasn't quite sure how he felt about that, though.

"What? You sure?"

"Yes John, I'm sure. I've been sterilized."

"But… but why? Why would you do something like that? And keep it from me?"

Margot turned her back at him, and opened the fridge to pull out a bottle of white wine. She poured a glass for herself, and took a long gulp, before turning back to face Myers again.

"I'm sorry, John. I know I should've told you this ages ago. It's just… it's not something I like to think about, and it was kinda difficult to bring it up. " She paused for a few heartbeats. "I understand if… if this is something you can't live with."

"Come on, I don't even know if I wanted to have kids."

Margot made a small, sad laughter. She looked him straight in the eye, and he knew she saw deep into his soul, into his most profound hopes and wishes.

"You do. I know you do, I've seen it in your mind, John." she breathed. "You want the kids, and the perfect family, and a dog too if possible. The American dream. And it breaks my heart to have to tell you, that's not possible with me. This is why I wanted to come clean before I meet your family - I understand if you want to rethink our relationship because of this."

"Don't be absurd. I'm not going to 'rethink our relationship', whatever that means." Myers shook his head. He couldn't deny the fact that he felt annoyed, angry even. Keeping a secret of this magnitude from him? It suited him ill, and he wasn't going to pretend otherwise.

"I'm sorry, John. I should've told you this already when you came to see me in Hamburg last Christmas. You had the right to know. But it's not something… one can easily drop into a conversation. And the longer I waited to tell you, the harder it became."

"Yeah, I get it. But Margot, I need to understand. You say you've been… sterilized? What does that even mean?"

"That I can never have children. That's what it means. My fallopian tubes are blocked with metal clips, to prevent fertilization."

"When did you get it done?" Myers asked.

He felt like he needed to sit down, so he slowly walked to the couch and took a seat.

Margot kept silent for a long while, her face was pale as death. Gripping on her wineglass, her knuckles almost white, she followed him to the living area and leaned on the wall, unable to relax enough to sit down. Her posture was stiff, her eyes that avoided Myers' gaze, had a haunted look on them.

"Again, not something I like to think about, or talk about." She finally said, her voice nothing but a faint whisper. "But I will, for you. You deserve to know all there is to know about me, even if it makes you hate me."

"I could never hate you, you know that."

But Margot's eyes were dark, when she glanced at him.

"Don't be so sure."

"Try me." He said, leaning his elbows to his knees. "Tell me all there is."

"Twelve years ago, John. I was just 14 years old, and had someone told me what was going to happen to me soon, I would've told them to fuck off." She looked down, to her feet, and her voice was faltering. "It was a Friday, just like any other day, a normal Friday night… and I was going to this party, my friend Jeanne threw. You have to realize, I was a good girl. I didn't go to parties, or do any other things that could've upset my parents. But I was… ah, I had a huge crush on this guy in our class, Philippe, and I knew he was gonna be there, so I went too."

Margot paused for a while, sipping on her wine. Myers silently observed her, not saying a word to interrupt her story, even if he did have difficulties in seeing how this was relevant.

"He was there, indeed." Margot finally continued. "When I stepped into the room, I saw them kissing. Philippe and Jeanne - my best friend. And I don't know what happened, I really don't. I try to remember it, but all I can recall is this… this rage, this emotion that took over me, and I could not keep it under control. I felt it, like an a-bomb in my head."

"Your talent broke out." Myers stated, silently.

It took a long time before Margot continued.

"Yeah, it did."

"What happened?"

Another heavy silence. Margot bit her lip, and Myers noticed the wine glass in her hands was shaking.

"They died."

"They… what?"

"Jeanne. Philippe. All of them. I killed them all, John. I…. I didn't mean to. It was an accident. It was like my mind… was on fire. I could not stop the explosion. I felt it leave me like a pressure wave, and it hit them. The room was destroyed, all the furniture all of it. And the people-"

Margot couldn't continue. She brought the glass to her lips, and took a long gulp, and another. Her face was pale and she didn't meet Myers' eyes.

"Hey, you don't have to talk about it." He breathed. "It's fine."

"No, it isn't fine." she snapped. "And I must. You said it yourself, 'tell me all'.

"I meant, about the 'not being able to have kids' -part."

"Ah." Margot breathed. "Oh, I'm getting there, alright. Or have you heard enough already? I told you, you would hate me in the end."

"I don't hate you. But I feel bad, for I see you are hurting."

Margot gave a long sigh before answering.

"Hurt is the only thing that keeps me human. Botox was right about one thing - that I've done my share of heart ripping. I've spilled more blood than anyone should, and it started that day, 12 years ago. They were the first people I killed, and I hope I'll never forget how it felt. I hope I'll never stop feeling hurt and guilty about it."

"No matter how guilty you feel, it won't bring them back."

Margot shrugged. "I know that. But it works as a reminder."

"A reminder of what?"

"That I should accept my punishment." Margot stated, on a silent voice. "You want to hear the rest?"

Myers gave a small nod, to let her go on with the story.

"I was taken into Europol's Paranormal Unit, of course. Where else? But at that time it was a very different place than it is now. I was not treated as a human, but as a monster - but who could blame them? They had never seen anyone like me before, and they were scared. The Hell, I don't even know if there is anyone like me in the world… And I guess they wanted to make sure there never would be. They experimented on me, John. All kinds of operations… I would wake up, realizing something had been done to me, and no one told me what it was. They poked on my inner organs, observed my brain waves, all that. Like I was nothing more than a lab rat. And during one of those operations, they sterilized me, without even telling me about it. I only found out about it a lot later."

Myers tasted blood, iron on his lips. The taste of rage.

Just the thought of Margot being treated that way… it made his chest ache, as if there was a spear point stuck to his heart, digging it's way deep into the muscle. There was something in his throat, that made it hard to breath, almost impossible to speak.

"Who ordered it?" he could barely force the words out.

"Not my Dad, if that's what you're asking." Margot's voice was sharp. "He wasn't in charge at the time. It was him, who got me out of that locked room, and convinced everyone that I deserved to be given a chance. Dad took a huge risk by taking me in, taking full responsibility of my actions. Had I truly been the monster the rest of them took me for, he'd lost everything. But he just couldn't leave me there. He hated what they had done to me, and when he became the director, he made sure that branch of the unit was shut down, permanently."

Myers leaned back on the couch, trying hard not to let the tears come.

He had to blink a few times, and clear his throat to be able to keep his emotion under control.

"I'm sorry, John." Margot breathed, looking straight at him from across the room.

"Don't be sorry. None of it was your fault." he stood up, and walked to her, gently taking the wine glass from her hands and placing it on a nearby table. He took her hands into his, her bare hands, and let their minds merge.

She wasn't blocking him now, not even a little bit, and he fell right into her consciousness, into the deep well of pain, hurt, guilt and remorse. It took his breath away, but he accepted it, accepted it all and felt it for her.

" _I love you."_ he sent to her mind. " _I don't care what you've done in your past, and I could never hate you. You are beautiful, inside out, and I love all of you. Do you hear me?"_

Margot made a sound, that was like a sob, a wail, and shook her head.

" _I don't deserve it"_ She finally replied. " _I don't deserve you."_

" _Yes, you do. You are a good person, and you are worthy of being loved."_

" _I'm not. I'm flawed, my soul is tainted and everything I touch turns to dust."_

"Look at me, Margot." he said out loud, and gently took her face into his hands. "Enough of this. I love you, and I'm not going anywhere. I'm not letting anyone hurt you, ever again. You hear me?"

Margot blinked a few times, her pupils dark and dilated, and Myers felt her desperate need for love in his soul.

"I hear you." she breathed.

"Feel my heart." he said, pulling her hand to his chest. "Feel it with your mind."

Margot closed her eyes, and Myers felt her mind inside of his soul, inside of his body, searching his heartbeat. It took only a couple of seconds for the rythms of their hearts to synchronize. It was the most amazing feeling in the world.

"It beats for you." he exhaled. "It has, from the moment I first laid my eyes on you in the Brussels Airport. There's no changing it, no matter what you've done, or what has happened to you in the past. And I don't care about the sterilization, I really don't. I can easily live without kids, but I cannot live without you."

He pulled her close, wrapped his arms around her slender, slightly trembling form, and buried his fingers into her hair. She stayed quiet for a long while, pressing her head on his shoulder, and Myers felt as silent tears fell to her cheeks, just to be absorbed into his shirt.

Christ, he loved her so much it took his breath away.

He could easily spend the rest of his days like this, just holding her in his arms, protecting her from whatever she would be afraid of.

"Will you marry me?" he breathed.

Margot froze, made a surprised gasp, and looked up to his face.

"What did you say?"

"This is not how I meant to ask you… but I-" Myers felt his cheeks blushing, his voice almost failing him. "I just… Margot, will you please be my wife?"

A few heartbeats of silence, the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Margot's eyes were wide and clear, like forest ponds, and he had no idea what she was thinking. But then, the release, the tension broke. She broke into a grin, and a laugh, and tears fell to her cheeks, tears of joy.

"Yes…!" she sobbed. "Yes, of course I'll marry you!"

"Really?" Myers felt like choking, but on a good way. "You mean it?"

"How could I not?"

And he kissed her, his hands on her waist pulled her close, her lips opened to him and he tasted the wine on her tongue, the sweet holy wine of love and lust, and he let himself fall.

His heart raced in his chest, the blood was like boiling oil in his veins, and Margot's body was so slender, so tiny in his arms. He'd never felt this ecstatic in his life, and he grabbed her, lifted her up and pushed her against the wall, her legs wrapping around his hips.

" _You really said yes?"_ he sent to her mind. " _I'm not imagining things?"_

"Yeah, I said yes." she replied with a grin. "But I want the ring, and I want the proposal as you had planned it. And I need you to talk to my Dad too, to get his blessing."

Myers gulped. "The ring and the proposal, fine. But your Dad…? He's gonna kill me."

"He would never do such a thing. He wants for me to be happy, and I'm only happy with you by my side."

Margot's body was so petite, she hardly weighed a thing. Her legs around his hips were strong and slender, and he felt divine, squeezing Margot against the wall, her small firm breasts pressing tight against his chest. He couldn't help it, the hot need that was born in his core, and made his lust stirr. Groaning he pushed his hips hard against her crotch, letting her feel his hardening erection.

"I don't want to think about your dad right now." he breathed, his voice thick and raw in his throat. "But fine, I'll do whatever you want me to do, if you'll just agree to marry me."

"I already have." she replied. "So shut up and kiss me."

"Oh, I'll do far more than just kiss you." he promised hoarsely, and let his mouth find hers.

She gasped as he wrapped his strong arms around her, and carried her through the living area to their bedroom. Gently he laid her down on their bed, and kissing her all the time, he pressed her tight against the mattress, his aching hips between her thighs, his hands on her hair, on her waist, on her breasts. Her eager fingers helped to rip off his shirt, and he peeled off her clothes, revealing the wonder of her soft, white skin. His heart ached to hear the sounds of pleasure she made, the small moans and gasps that escaped her lips when he finally pushed inside, slowly, carefully, enjoying every inch of her sweet, slick heat that surrounded him on a way that took his breath away.

 _Sweet and slow. No rush, no games, just us._

 _Nothing matters but this moment, baby. There's no past, no future, just this. Please, hold me, darling, hold my body, touch my heart, be my soul. Touch me, lay your hands on my skin and pull me closer. Let me deep inside of you, deeper until I touch your heart._

 _Please, be mine forever. Please, never leave me again!_

 _I love you. I love you. I love you._

His thoughts were hers, his wishes became what she wanted too. Together they fell into the sweet abyss of lust and love, letting the rest of the world fade far, far away.


	39. Part III: Totally Levin

**Part III: Family Matters**

 **Chapter: Totally Levin**

* * *

Margot yawned and stretched, enjoying the feeling of soft linen sheets on her naked skin, and John's scent in the bed. It was the best scent in the world - his masculinity, his aftershave, mint and musk, steel and cotton. She felt his presence in this aroma, felt it as a warmth in her soul, heat in her bloodstream.

Christ, she could spend the rest of her days like this, in their bed, breathing in his intoxicating odor. She was still naked, after last night's rather amazing sex, and she felt blissful, relaxed and… and then she remembered.

John had asked her to marry him! Her heart skipped a beat. It wasn't a dream, was it?

She opened her eyes, and noticed Myers, already fully dressed in his comfy jeans and a T-shirt, sitting in the bed by her side.

"I want to see you waking up just like this, naked in my bed, every morning for the rest of my days." he stated.

Talk about 'Good Mornings!' This one certainly made Margot's cheeks blush.

"It won't always be like this, you know. I'll get old and wrinkled."

Myers shrugged. "I don't care. I'll love you even when we're both old, wrinkled and toothless."

"And demented?"

"Then, too. You've got my soul, you know. Getting old is not gonna change that."

Christ, the things that guy could say! Margot felt suddenly breathless, and high headed.

It was then, that she noticed he was holding a small jewelry box in his fingers,

"The ring?" she asked with a faint voice.

"And the proposal, If you let me."

Margot blushed, the heat of her blood reaching her cheeks.

"You don't have to, you know. I already said yes."

"Please, you asked for me to do this properly, and that is my intention." He turned to take something from the nightstand, a coffee mug, and handed it to her. "But first - I made you coffee, you want some?"

"Bribing me with coffee to make sure I still say yes?" Margot made a small, nervous laughter as she accepted the mug, and took a sip. Oriental coffee with ground cardamon - her favorite. He sure knew how to please her.

There was a nervous look on his handsome face, and he cleared his throat. His hands seemed to shake slightly, as he held the jewelry box, and turned it around a few times before speaking up.

"I could tell you that I love you, but you already know that." he began, his voice slightly hoarse. "And I could tell you that you've changed my world, and that I can never live without you again. It's all true, but you know that too. So, I wanted to tell you something you do not know about me, before you give me your final answer."

"I've already given you my final answer."

"Please, can I… can I just finish?"

"Sure. Sorry." Margot breathed, and hid her smile.

He gave her a glance, his beautiful, blue eyes full of emotion she couldn't name. But she was not about to pry his thoughts, not on a moment like this. Silently she waited for him to continue.

"There has always been this... _emptiness_ in me, ever since I lost my parents when I was a kid. You can relate to that, I know. How it feels to grow up, without the one thing, that's supposed to always be there for you, to always help you no matter what. I didn't have that, and neither had you, though for very different reasons."

"But when I met you… this void inside of me… it has begun to fade. I realize now, that even if I never knew what happened to my parents, it wouldn't matter. Not any more. I have you, and you fill my heart and my soul, you complete me on a way I never thought possible, and that is all I need."

He opened the small jewelry box, revealing a beautiful golden ring with a rather large diamond. Margot glanced at it, and suddenly she was moved to tears.

"This was my mother's ring. I've kept it, all these years, to give it to my future wife." His voice was suddenly thick with emotion, and his cheeks blushed. "Margot, would you do me the honor of accepting it, and wearing it, as the symbol of our love?"

"Yes, I do." Margot breathed, and offered her hand.

His hands slightly shaking, Myers placed the ring in Margot's finger.

"Do you like it?" he asked, and Margot heard how his voice faltered, nervous.

"Oh, I love it, John. It's beautiful." she breathed. "But really, it was your mother's ring… are you sure you want to give it to me?"

"Are you sure you want to take it?"

"Yes."

"So there is your answer. It's yours now."

She was silent for a little while, observing the beautiful golden ring in her finger. It fit like it was meant to be, like it was designed for her.

She had an engagement ring in her finger. It felt surreal, like she was watching herself from somewhere far away, like she was watching a movie and not something that was really happening to her. For this could not be real, could it? Who in their right mind would ever marry her?

She was the one with damaged heart, flawed soul and so many skeletons in her closet that it was hard to keep the door shut.

 _Bad shit happens to people you care about,_ she thought to herself. _You shouldn't have said yes._

But then, looking up to meet John's eyes - the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen, the look in them nothing but love, and she knew she'd die if she had to leave him again.

Was it really such a bad thing to be selfish, to want something this good for herself? Even knowing she didn't truly deserve it?

"You're too good for me." she breathed, tears in her voice. "Why you love me, I'll never understand."

"Don't." he replied, and took her hand. "Don't you dare to say things like that. You are going to be my wife, and I'm the happiest man on Earth."

Margot cleared her throat, to force the tears away. She took John's hand, entwined their fingers. His mind and his thoughts surrounded hers like a warm blanket, and she reached into it, as a flower turns to sun.

"I know I don't say it often enough, but I love you John. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, I know it."

A moment of silence, but a comfortable one. She leaned to him, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. Christ, how much she loved the way his arm felt, his strong muscles under his skin, the warmth of his body keeping her safe. And his scent, cotton and aftershave, it made her head spin.

Was she really this lucky?

How long was this going to last?

A marriage - who was she fooling? How could she ever give him what he needed? A safe haven, a home, a family… and kids. That thought suddenly brought bitter taste to her lips, and she had to get off the bed, to get away from him.

Margot stood up, placing her coffee mug on the night stand. She gave him a glance, as he stood up too and stretched his divine body. The lean, hard muscles of his arms and his torso moved under his skin, under the T-shirt, and she caught a glimpse of the bare skin of his abdomen. Jesus, it was enough to make her aroused!

Lust - that she knew. But love? That was a different game.

"I'm gonna take a shower." she said. "You wanna join me?"

"Can't. I'm supposed to call your Dad, remember?"

"Oh, that." Margot hid her smile. "You know, you don't really have to do that-"

"Nonesense. I know it's important to you, besides it is the decent thing to do. He is your father, and I'm to be your husband. It's time we have the talk."

"The talk?"

He shrugged. "The 'man to man' talk."

Margot raised an eyebrow. "The feminist in me is somehow offended by that."

But he gave a small, endearing laughter. "You and your inner feminist can go and take that shower now. I love you both, you know."

"I know." Margot replied with a smile.

 _Though I'll never understand why._

* * *

Myers waited until Margot had disappeared into the bathroom, and he heard the water running, until he picked up his phone and dialed the number of Dr. Heinemann's office.

He answered almost immediately, he always did.

"Stefan Heinemann."

"It's John Myers." he cleared his throat. "Can I have a moment of your time, Sir?"

A long sigh, that told Myers just how much Dr. Heinemann didn't want to spare his time with him.

"Alright, John. What is it?"

"Um… It is about Margot, I-"

"Margerie? What about her? Is she alright?" The older man's voice was instantly full of concern, which didn't go unnoticed by Myers.

This was where it all came down to - the fact that they both loved Margot and wanted the best for her. They might not agree on what it was, but they had the same goal. With this in his mind, he felt encouraged to continue.

"She is perfectly fine, Sir. That is what I needed to talk to you about, actually-"

"So, go ahead. Spit it out already."

 _Okay. Spit it out. It's not like he can kill you over the phone._

"I have just asked her to marry me, and she has accepted."

A silence on the phone, one that seemed to go on for a long time. An uncomfortably long time.

"Sir?" Myers finally had to ask. "I am calling you to ask if you could give us your blessing."

"My blessing?" his voice was dark and pointed. "What do you need that for?"

"I don't, but it means the world to Margot."

Dr. Heinemann snorted. "She does what she wants anyway, with or without my consent. If she's decided to marry you, it hardly matters what I say or think about it."

"It matters." Myers replied. "You know this, Sir. She values your opinion and your guidance, above all else."

"And yet she's decided to give her heart to you, against my advice."

Myers was silent for a short moment, gathering his thoughts.

It would do no good to get annoyed, it would only make things worse. Besides, he could totally understand why Dr. Heinemann didn't think too highly of him. He had broke Margot's heart - twice, from his point of view. What kind of a father would not want to protect his daughter from a guy like him?

"Sir, I understand that you do not like me, and I understand that you feel Margot could do a lot better than me." he fought to keep his voice calm. "But it is not a matter of choice or a matter of reason. She has fallen in love with me, as I have with her, and that love is the most real thing either one of us has ever experienced."

"Listen, John-"

"Please, let me finish, Sir."

A pointed silence.

"Alright, go ahead."

"I love your daughter, Dr. Heinemann. I adore her, I _worship_ her. And… for some reason she sees something in me too. I owe her my life, she has saved me twice now, and I intend to use this life I've been given, to cherish her. I swear that I will protect her with my life, that I will die for her if it comes to that." he paused for a while, the emotion he felt overwhelming him. "And that should be the only thing that matters to you. Am I right, Sir?"

Myers heard his own heartbeat, holding the phone to his ear.

A long silence, that ended with a resigned sigh the older man finally gave.

"Yes, you are right, John. I only want to keep her safe. It might be, that I have misjudged you."

"Does that mean… that we'll have your blessing?"

"It does. Congratulations, John."

The relief he felt, made his lips turn into a grin. He felt suddenly so emotional it was hard to speak.

"Thank you, Sir." he managed. "I swear, I won't let you down."

"Don't let _her_ down." Dr. Heinemann replied. "If you do, I will kill you."

"Yes, so I have heard." Myers laughed. "But apparently Kat Wagner is the first one in that line."

His reply was greeted with a surprising laughter from Dr. Heinemann's part.

"Ah, yes, Kat. Give her my love, will you, John?"

"I will. And Sir?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"No, thank you. The truth is that Margot is happy with you, and that's something I have wanted for her, for a long time. But we'll talk more in Christmas. I take it you're spending the holidays here?"

"Yes, we are. Until then, Sir."

"Goodbye, John. And please, call me Stefan."


	40. Part III: Out of the closet

**Part III: Family Matters**

 **Chapter: Out of the Closet**

* * *

"Relax, Margot." Myers asked for a thousandth time. "It's just a small family gathering. Not all of my siblings are going to be there."

They were in a car, one of BPRD's big, black vehicles, driving from Newark to Boston. Margot was on the wheel and Myers by her side, though now he he had began to think that perhaps he should be the one driving, for she was clearly nervous.

"No?" Margot didn't seem convinced. "So this gigantic league of people, who's attending your sister's Thanksgiving dinner, is _not_ your whole family?"

"You know that." Myer sighed. "Come on, it's not like my family is a legion."

"John. You have seven siblings! That _is_ a legion."

"And only four of them will be there tonight."

"Plus their significant others? And kids?"

"Well, yeah. But you'll love them. I promise."

Margot made a desperate sigh and rolled her eyes.

"So you keep saying. I'm just worrying that I won't remember their names."

"It's going to be okay, honey. If you forget their names, can't you just check their minds? I mean, that's what I'd do if I was you."

"So, I got you permission then? To read their minds?"

"Only if you promise to leave their personal lives in peace, that is." he noted with a smile. "Besides, who would even want to see the thoughts of my teenage nephews? Especially Jack's been giving his mother a hard time these past few years."

"Oh?" said Margot, with an impish grin. "I can hardly wait to meet him. So, he's the son of your eldest sister, Sue-Ellen, right?"

"Yeah."

"And she is married to that guy, that… What was his name again?"

Myers rolled his eyes. "Ronald. And they have three kids: Jack, who is sixteen, Daniel, who is fourteen and Juliet, the one who is twelve years old. I'm her godfather, remember?"

"Right."

"Amanda, my youngest sister, is coming too. I know you'll love her, she is the best."

Margot gave him a look, that told him just how she didn't really believe him.

"Sure, John." she nodded then, looking away. "Who else?"

"Edward and Michael, my brothers. And Edward's wife Melissa too. She's-"

"Great?" Margot raised an eyebrow. "And I'll love her?"

"Actually I was going to say that she's pregnant, but what the Hell."

Margot gave a sigh, and glanced at John.

"I'm sorry. I know I'm being difficult. It's just that-"

"You're nervous. I get it. I was scared as Hell when I first met your family. And look at us now? Your Dad congratulated me on our engagement and he invited us there to Christmas."

Margot gave him a dubious look. "Yeah, I'm still wondering what on Earth you said to him."

"Man to man -talk." he stated with a cool poker face.

"Right." Margot sighed, and turned to give him a glance. "But about your family… You know, we'll have to tell them the truth about me."

Her words made him suddenly concerned. They had talked about this already, but he had dismissed the idea, for several reasons. Apparently Margot didn't share his opinion, though.

"I'm still not convinced, Margot. I don't think it's a great idea."

"Why not? You think they'll freak out and hate me?"

"No, not because of that. They'll love you." he gave her a reassuring look. "It's just… talking about your abilities is practically breaking the rules. Manning's gonna go mental if he finds out we have been talking."

"Huh." Margot snorted. "Leave Manning to me, alright?"

And there was another thing that made him worried. He seemed to be worried for something most of the time.

"I don't like the fact that you keep messing with his mind, Margot. It might backfire."

"I don't mess with his mind that much, not really. I don't have to. He gives me what I want, even without telepathy."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?"

Margot gave him an impish grin.

"Jealous, are you, John?"

"Of Manning? Hell, no. You're marrying me, not him."

"Yeah, and about that." Margot said, suddenly serious again. "That's the exact reason we must tell your family the truth. They'll be in our wedding. What are they going to think if we haven't warned them?"

The wedding. Just a thought of it made his heart jump! But he knew what Margot meant. There was no way she would agree to a small wedding - she wanted to invite everyone! Including their supernatural friends.

"Yeah. You've got a point." he had to agree.

"I mean, Red is going to be there, and so is Abe. And even if Kat and her brothers can change into human form, I don't want them to feel like they have to hide in our wedding. They are our friends."

"Hey, wait a sec. We're inviting Jay and Andu?"

"Of course we are." Margot frowned. "Jay healed you, for heaven's sake! Still holding a grudge against him?"

Myers gave a resigned sigh. "I guess not. But just because he did me a favor, doesn't mean I have to like him."

"No, but it does mean that he's coming to our wedding. And so is your family, so we must give them a heads up."

"Fine. You are probably right." Myers had to give in. "But we're not doing that in the middle of the Thanksgiving dinner, alright? We'll tell them later."

"Sure." she smiled, though her smile was more than a bit nervous. "And if they hate me after that, we won't invite them to the wedding."

* * *

A few hours later Margot found herself sitting on a large dining table, and actually enjoying herself.

Myers had, of course, been right. Margot did like his family, and they seemed to like her too. Especially John's sisters Sue-Ellen and Amanda, to whom Margot instantly felt connected. It was a heart-warming thought, that they'd be sister-in-laws soon!

Margot let her gaze sweep by all the people in the table.

Yeah, she had managed to remember all of their names, and she hadn't made a fool of herself once - at least not yet.

Though, there was still plenty of time to do that, she thought. No Tequila tonight, just to be sure!

Across the table to Margot, was Sue-Ellen, John's eldest sister and the lady of the house. She was full 15 years older than John was, and it was clear that after the Myers kids had lost their parents, she had became the 'head of the family'. She was a pleasant, calm and warm hearted lady, with beautiful blue eyes - just like John's - and chubby cheeks with dimples. By her side was her husband Ronald, who seemed to be a nice and decent guy with gentle nature. His grey eyes had a smile in them every time he turned to look at his wife, which made Margot like him quite a lot.

Sue-Ellen and Ronald's kids were on the dining table too: the 12-year-old Juliet with her ponytail and braces, 14-year-old Daniel, a sharp looking kid with glasses, and last but not least, the 16-year-old wannabe rocker, Jack.

Margot let her eyes stop in Jack for a short while. Yeah, there was more than met the eye in that kid, that was for sure. The youngster, who had barely said a word, had also - to his mother's great embarrassment - refused to change into formal clothes (he was wearing a band T-shirt with black, ripped jeans). His hair, that was dyed black, was long and fell to his eyes in a way that made it possible for him to hide behind it. To add to his emo looks, he had a lip piercing, and a another one on his nose, a ring that made him look a bit like a confused cow (which probably hadn't been the look he'd gone for).

Margot didn't even have to read Jack's mind to know that he had a severe case of puberty, but luckily that was something that would pass in time. Who knew how he'd turn out to be after a few years?

By Jack's side was Amanda, John's youngest sister, who was just one year older than he was, and clearly very close to John. She had the looks of an angel - her honey blond hair was long and soft, her skin was fair and her cheeks rosy, and her eyes were the same as John's, big blue eyes surrounded by thick, dark lashes. There was something otherworldly about her, something ethereal - as if she had some elven blood in her. Margot almost expected for her ears to be pointed, when she pulled her hair behind them, but of course they weren't.

The other people present in the big dining table were John's older brothers Michael and Edward, who were twins, and they both had a strong resemblance to John, except that their hair was blond like Amanda's. But even if the twins had a similar appearance, Margot soon learned that their personalities were quite different. Michael was a jazz pianist, a restless soul who traveled around the country to perform in clubs and bars, and somehow he reminded Margot of Jay (something she thought she should probably keep to herself). He had that same sparkle in his eyes, the same grin that told he was an accomplished ladies man, and Margot did her best not to take a peek at his mind when he was looking at her.

Edward on the other hand, was the kind, silent type, an educated man with a university degree in literature. He was happily married to a petite brunette called Melissa, who was very much pregnant. Margot couldn't help but to stare at her round baby belly, and she felt an odd longing piercing her heart.

She had never wanted kids, knowing that she couldn't have them. It had always seemed like energy wasted, to long for something that you could never have. But now… seeing how Edward lovingly caressed his wife's round abdomen, and the baby kicked back feeling her father's touch - Margot couldn't help but to wonder how it would be like.

How would it feel to have John touch her belly like that? To have John's child growing under her heart?

She glanced sideways to John, who seemed likewise enchanted by the sight.

Yeah, Margot might not want to have kids, but John sure as Hell did. That thought brought a bitter taste to her lips, one she found hard to get rid of.

But just as she was beginning to get too gloomy for her liking, Ronald raised his glass and cleared his throat.

"Dear friends and family! I hope you have all stuffed yourself silly with the turkey, and-"

"Oh, yes we have! It was delicious!" said Michael.

"It would be, for it was the only thing I did for this meal." Ronald replied. "Sue was the one who did her magic in the kitchen and prepared everything else. Thank you darling, for going through all this trouble, once again."

"You're welcome." Sue-Ellen replied with a smile. "It was a pleasure, really. Daniel and Juliet helped me a lot."

This remark made Jack roll his eyes, which luckily went unnoticed by his mother.

"As it is Thanksgiving, it is time for tradition. I hope you all find something in your hearts to be thankful for, other than my delicious turkey, and share it with the rest of us." stated Ronald. "Who wants to begin?"

"Me, me, me!" Juliet was almost hopping on her seat. "Can I go first, please Dad? Mom?"

Her parents gave her an approving smile, which was rewarded by her braced grin.

"I'm soooo thankful for you guys promising to buy me a pony!" she exclaimed. "You're the best parents ever!"

"Hey!" Sue-Ellen exclaimed. "That never happened. Don't think you can fool us."

Juliet made a face. "Can't blame me for trying."

"Anything real you feel thankful for?" her mother raised an eyebrow, and the girl shrugged, resigned.

"Being able to continue my riding lessons, I guess. It was nice to participate in the horse show."

"Will there be no end to your stupid pony talk?" Jack snorted. "God, Jules, there are other things to life than just horses."

"Yeah, like what? Your dumb rock music?"

"It's not rock. It's alternative-"

"Mom!" Juliet protested. "Tell Jack to shut up!"

"Kids, please." Sue-Ellen replied calmly. "No fighting on the table."

This made Juliet give Jack an angry glance, but Jack was again hiding behind his hair, seemingly indifferent.

"I am thankful for my progress in the science club." noted Daniel, trying to change the subject. "They made me the president of the club last month, and it's awesome!" The boy was positively glowing, which made Jack (again) roll his eyes.

"We're so proud of you." Sue-Ellen stated, with a warm tone. "Always the straight A student! Just like your uncle John was."

Jack muttered something that Margot had a hunch was 'Kiss-ass', but luckily no one was paying him any attention, as the next one to speak up was Edward, who was still holding his hand on his wife's abdomen.

"We're both just so thankful for the baby." he said, clearly emotional. "It's a blessing, really. Can't believe she'll be born in two months!"

Melissa, with her pregnancy hormones, couldn't say a thing, but concentrated on drying her tears with a napkin.

"The first Myers baby in a decade! About time." Sue-Ellen said, reaching to place a hand on Melissa's arm. "We're so happy for you."

"Michael, anything you want to thank for?" Ronald asked.

"Me?" the musician asked, clearly surprised. "Not so much, just the usual."

He gave a grin that was a bit too much like Jay's and Margot knew well enough what he was thankful for. Good thing he had reason enough not to say it out loud.

"I've got something." Said John then, taking Margot by surprise. She turned to look at John, who was sitting by her side, and he reached for her hand under the table, her gloved fingers entwining with his.

"Um…" John hesitated, and he blushed slightly, on a way that Margot just adored. She gave him an encouraging smile. "A lot has happened in this past year, and I certainly have a lot to be thankful for. But I just wanted to take this moment to thank you, Margot, for saving my life. I would not be here without you, and I hope you know how much I-"

"Hey, it's alright." Margot raised her hand to his cheek. "I know. You would've done the same for me."

"Doesn't mean I shouldn't be thankful." he breathed.

"What do you mean, she saved your life?" a faint voice interrupted their moment, and they both turned to look at Sue-Ellen, who had gone visibly pale. "Your life… was in danger, John?"

"I noticed you'd gotten some new scars." noted Jack dryly. "So, what happened? Or you gonna just say 'classified', like you always do?"

"Jack, be quiet." his mother snapped. "John, tell me, now."

"Ah, it really _is_ class-"

"Let me." Margot said, for she had seen what was in Sue-Ellen's mind. Fear, a horrible fear of losing John, and she could totally relate to that. She felt like they owed her some kind of an explanation.

"Occupational hazard. John had a bit of a misfortune on a mission. There was this crazy lady, who liked to kill people, and she had her eyes on John. But luckily I'm an excellent shot."

Her words were followed by a silence that told Margot, that perhaps her explanation had not had the effect she had hoped for.

"Oh, that." said John. "Yeah, thanks for that too. I was actually thinking about the first time you saved my life, but-"

"There were more than one time?" Sue-Ellen said, her face even paler than before.

"You didn't tell them you got shot to pieces last year?" Margot blurted out. "John!"

"You got shot to pieces and you didn't tell me?" shrieked Sue-Ellen.

"Neat." said Jack, clearly interested for the first time the whole night. "Let me guess, 'classified'?"

But no one bothered to answer him.

"I'm sorry, Sue. I didn't want you to worry." John said, his cheeks blushing. "But yeah, that's why I missed last year's Thanksgiving. I was in kind of a bad shape for a few months."

"How could you not give me a call?" Sue-Ellen's voice faltered. "You know how I always worry for you, working on those secret FBI projects, and you always just tell me that everything's fine…. I can't believe we all sat here eating turkey last year, while you were dying!"

"I wasn't dying." John stated silently. "Thanks to Margot."

"What did you do?" Jack asked Margot, leaning his elbows to the table. "How _did_ you save uncle John's ass?"

"Some first aid." Margot shrugged. "John's making a big deal out of nothing. It was the hospital staff that did the real fixing."

She turned to look at John, and raised an eyebrow.

 _Enough of this topic,_ she sent to him.

Yeah, it had been a nice gesture of him to thank her, in front of his family, but now it was clearly time to move on. Carefully, not letting anyone notice what she was up to, she reached into the minds of the other's, and began to clear the atmosphere. The tension, the guilt, the fear, the shock - she found them all, and made them disappear as if they had been carried away by the wind. She left the memories, though, for she valued the fact that John had given them at least some of the truth.

In just a few seconds the tension on the dinner table diminished, and it was replaced with a more relaxed atmosphere.

John gave Margot a glance that told her he had noticed her little mischief, but that he approved.

"So, Jack." Margot turned her eyes to the young rebel. "Anything you're thankful for?"

"Ah, dunno." the boy replied, his cheeks suddenly blushing. He looked a lot like John, when that happened.

"He never thanks for anything!" Juliet was quick to mock. "All he cares about are his dumb rock bands and CD's and posters-"

"Shut up, brat!" Jack snapped. "All _you_ care about are the damn ponies."

"Mom!" Juliet exclaimed. "He's being mean!"

"You started it!" the boy stated. "You're such a little bi-"

"Children!" Sue-Ellen shrieked, her voice again tense.

Silently Margot reached into all of their minds, again, and eased the situation. Damn, the Myers clan had more temper than she had thought!

"Alright, Jack." said Ronald. "If you have something to be thankful for, just tell us, please. Without further teasing."

"Fine." the emo boy rolled his eyes. "I'm gay."

A shocked silence followed his remark.

Sue-Ellen blinked a few times, and Ronald seemed like he had lost the gift of speech.

Jack, clearly discouraged by his family's reaction, leaned back on his chair, and let his hair fell on his face again. He shrugged, to show just how much he didn't care.

"It's not something I'm thankful for, really. But I just thought… that you should know."

It took another few heartbeats for anyone to speak up, but finally Sue-Ellen gathered herself, and reached to take her son's hand.

"I'm so glad you told us." she breathed. "It was a brave thing to do."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Jack muttered, and got to his feet. "I'll skip the dessert."

"But-"

"Let him go." John said. "Let's give him some space."

They watched as Jack left the dining room, and soon his hurrying footsteps echoed from the stairs. Sue-Ellen turned to look at Ronald, who was still staring at the empty seat, where his son had sat on.

"Did you have any idea that he-"

"No. None." Ronald shook his head.

"Well, I did." stated Daniel. "God, It was so obvious. I thought everyone knew! Besides, what does it even matter? It's the 21st century, for God's sake."

"He has a point." stated Amanda, on her silent and soft voice. "This doesn't change anything. He's still our Jack."

"I don't wanna hear any of this." said Juliet, and her face was miserable. "Everything is always about Jack!"

"Hey Jules." Amanda said, and turned to look at her niece. "It's hard to grow up as a girl with big brothers, I know. That's exactly how I felt too, with these two." she pointed to Edward and Michael. "And then there were Pete and Casper too! You only have two big brothers, and you're a smart girl. You'll be fine."

"That's totally different! You love your brothers, but I hate Jack! He's always so mean."

"Don't say that you hate your brother, Juliet." stated Sue-Ellen. "He might be annoying, but he loves you. He would die for you, and you know it."

"It gets easier when you're adults and you don't have to live with him." said Amanda. "You'll see. And meanwhile, what do you say if you came to my place next weekend? We could go shopping and have some girl time. If your Mom doesn't object?"

"That's a great plan." Sue-Ellen said, clearly relieved.

"So I can go?" Juliet asked, again full of enthusiasm, all her bad mood quickly forgotten.

"Sure." her mom gave her a nod. "But Amanda, you still haven't told what you're thankful for? Do you have anything special in mind?"

"Apart from having the best niece in the world?" Amanda gave Juliet a wink. "But seriously… after all _this-"_ She gave John a look. "-whaterew I'll say will sound like a huge letdown."

"Come on, Amanda!" Juliet begged. "I wanna hear what you're thankful for."

"For still having my job, even if I never, _ever_ clean the cappuccino machine?"

"Eww." said John. "Remind me never to buy coffee from you."

He stood up from the table, and Margot noticed that even if he had been joking, he had that serious look on his eyes, that meant his mind was elsewhere. Reluctantly she let go of his hand, as he stepped to Sue-Ellen, and with a low voice, said: "Sis, I'm gonna go and check on Jack. You guys have dessert already."

* * *

A few hours later, they had gathered in the cozy living room, enjoying the warmth of a fireplace. It was late, and the kids were already in their rooms (including Jack, who hadn't left his room since dinner, despite John's efforts). Edward and Melissa had headed home after the dinner, since she had been feeling tired, and Michael had left at the same time, with some vague explanation (Margot suspected he was meeting a girl). So the only ones still present were John and Margot, Sue-Ellen and Ronald, and Amanda.

"A drink, anyone?" Ronald asked, stepping into the room, holding a bottle of whiskey.

Margot was immediately interested, but tried not to seem too keen. She glanced around, and only after noticing that everyone else was having, did she agree to accept a glass too.

"Thank you." she said, when they were all contently sipping the beverage. "And not just for the drink, but for everything. This has been a wonderful night."

"You're welcome." Sue-Ellen said with a smile. "I'm happy that you could make it. It's great to see you two together, I'm so happy for you."

Margot glanced at John, and silently he took her hand, and gave her an encouraging smile. It was time.

"About that, we have something to tell you..." she said.

Christ, she felt nervous! Her hand trembling slightly, she took the thin, golden chain that she wore around her neck, and pulled it to everyone's view. The ring was hanging on the chain, it's diamond glimmering with the light of the fireplace.

Sue-Ellen gasped. "Is that… is that mother's ring?"

"Yeah, it is." John replied, still holding Margot's hand. "We're getting married."

"Oh my God, that's wonderful!" Sue-Ellen was on her feet in a heartbeat, and had rushed to hug John. And then her arms were around Margot, and she felt squeezed against her soft chest. Feeling so relieved and happy, that she was high headed, Margot did her best not to touch Sue-Ellen's skin while embracing.

They were all so happy about the news, that Margot could hardly believe it.

Everyone was hugging them, congratulating and wanting to see the ring, that for a while Margot forgot all her usual nervousness and fear. These people loved John and they were happy that he was marrying her.

It was something Margot hadn't felt in a long time. A feeling of belonging.

And that's why what they were about to tell them next, felt even more terrifying.

After another round of drinks, that now were raised to congratulate their engagement, they all sat back on the sofas.

"There's something else we have to tell you." John said on a voice that got everyone's attention.

"You're having a baby?!" Sue-Ellen took a guess.

"Nope." replied John, and glanced quickly at Margot.

The look in his eyes pierced her heart. She knew, that he would have given everything, to be able to say 'yes' to that question.

"No babies." Margot forced herself to smile. "Let's leave that to Edward and Melissa, okay?"

"Then what is it?" asked Ronald. "Something serious?"

"Yeah, you could say so." John glanced at Margot again. "It's about work."

His words were followed by a short silence, and Margot felt the atmosphere tensing.

"But you never talk about your work." said Sue-Ellen. "Jack was right about that, you always just say that it's classified."

"And it is." he said. "But now I - we have decided to make an exception."

Margot let her gaze go through all the people in the room, her face now dead serious.

"What we are about to tell you now, is classified, and it is something you can never, ever mention outside of this room. You can never tell anyone what you have heard here tonight." she said.

"If any one of you wants to leave now, before we say more, you can do so." John continued. "We won't hold it against you."

But no one moved. They all sat on their place, their eyes fixed on John and Margot.

"If you want to tell us, then I believe you have a good reason to do so." said Ronald after a few heartbeats. "Go on, John."

Margot glanced at John - his eyes were nervous, his cheeks blushing. She grabbed his hand on hers, tight, their fingers entwining.

 _We're in this together._

"Have you ever heard of BPRD?" she asked silently.

Ronald turned to Sue-Ellen, and they both gave a small, nervous laughter.

But it was Amanda who spoke up. Her face had gone pale, her eyes were huge, their pupils dilated, like black pools.

"It's… real?"

"Yes." John replied.

"But it… it can't be!"

"It is. And we both work there." John said, holding Margot's hand so tight that it almost hurt. Margot noticed his hand was trembling slightly, even if his voice was cool.

Ronald cleared his throat. He looked like he was choking.

"You work for the Bureau for Paranormal Research, and-"

"-Defence. Yes, we do." John replied.

"This has got to be some kind of a joke. You're kidding us, aren't you?"

John and Margot both shook their heads.

"I wish, Ronald." John replied. "But I'm dead serious. It is real, and we're both agents there, fighting all kinds of threats you don't even know exist."

"And you are about to tell us of them?" asked Sue-Ellen. "Why?"

"Not about them, no." said Margot. "The less you know, the better for you. It is a blessing to live in ignorance, believe me. We only tell you what you must know - about BPRD, about our friends… and us."

"Why do we need to know about your friends?" that was Ronald. "Why tell us any of this!?"

Margot felt suddenly saddened, and had to look down. Even without reading Ronald's mind, she could feel his shock and disbelief in the air, and it hurt her.

For what felt like a thousandth time, she felt remorse of being here. This was a good family, a normal family, with good kids and decent parents. They didn't deserve to be dragged into the world of paranormal, a world of endless fear, pain and death. This family had just found out their son was gay, and that was about the maximum of weirdness their family was built for.

But no matter now, she thought. John had decided to marry her, and with that decision he had dragged his family into this. They could not keep her true identity a secret forever.

"Because you are all invited to our wedding." she breathed, her voice barely audible. "And you'll need to know that there will be… non-humans attending."

"Non-humans?" Ronald asked, his voice tense as a string.

"Like what?" Amanda exhaled. "Like… Hellboy?"

That made Ronald snort. "Come on! You can't be serious, Amanda! There's no way that big, red cartoon character is real!"

But the look John gave to him, was enough to make him shut up.

"He _is_ real, and he is my best friend, so if I was you, I'd watch my words."

Ronald looked like he was about to choke, but Amanda broke into a hysterical giggle.

"Oh My God, John, this is amazing!" she laughed. "It is, really! I'm so excited to meet him!"

"Yes, I think... we all are." said Sue-Ellen with a surprisingly calm voice. "Though it might take me some time to get used to this idea. But I thank you for telling us, John. It must be… it must be hard work, to spend all your time with-"

"Freaks?" Margot completed her sentence. She had picked that word from Sue-Ellen's mind, even if she (wisely enough) had not said it out loud.

"I didn't mean it like that." Sue-Ellen said, blushing. "I don't know what is the correct word."

Margot shrugged. "Freak is fine, if you're talking about me. But I wouldn't throw that on Hellboy's face if I was you. He prefers 'human'."

There was a small silence, and Margot waited for her words to sink in. She felt John's hand in hers, and she knew, he was like a solid rock that she could always lean on.

"What are you?" asked Amanda. Her voice was nothing but a faint whisper. "An alien?"

That made Margot give a small, sad laughter.

"Who knows? The truth is, I have no idea what made me like this. I was born a human, of a human mother. But I am different. I am a freak." she paused for a second, trying to force the words out.

Her lips were dry and her heart tried to beat it's way out of her chest. Had it not been for John's hand in hers, she never would have been able to say what she had to.

"I can read people's minds." she confessed, looking down. "I am a telepath."

There it was. She was out of the closet.


	41. Part III: Naughty Scout

**Part III: Family Matters**

 **Chapter: Naughty Scout**

* * *

"I still can't believe it." Margot said. "You're family is the best. I was so sure they'd throw me out of here, after the things we told them!"

They were sitting on the floor of the guest room Sue-Ellen had given them, leaning their backs on the wall. Margot was still holding a bottle of whiskey (that Myers suspected she had snatched from downstairs) and they had both done some sipping of it while going through the events of the past hours.

Myers wrapped his arm around Margot, and pulled her close. "I told you it would be fine."

"You did. I should've trusted you."

She rested her head on his shoulder, and aimlessly he ran his fingers through her hair. He felt the familiar sense of electricity that surrounded her, and the hair on his arms stood up.

"I'm so proud of you."

"What for?"

He placed a small trail of kisses on the top of her head. "For telling them. I know it wasn't easy, and yet you did it, keeping your head high. I've never loved you more than on that moment."

"Really?" she breathed, and turned her head so that he could see her face.

"Yeah, really."

Myers leaned to kiss her, his lips on hers hungry but gentle, and the way her body bent against him, made his heart race. Her mouth tasted of whiskey and roses, and he felt falling into her mind, into her scent and her soul.

This was what he loved about her. Everything about Margot was so real. There was no hesitation, no guessing. If he wanted her, she knew about it - and the other way around. As he felt the effect of their kisses in his bloodstream, he knew she shared the feeling. Their rapid heartbeats syncronized, and Myers began to feel slightly out of breath.

"And I've never loved you more than right now." Margot purred, and climbed to sit in his lap. Her hands were around his neck, and she leaned to kiss him again.

"Yeah? Why is that?" he breathed breaking the kiss, his voice slightly hoarse.

"Can't you tell?" she winked.

Her slight weight was on him, her slender thighs on both sides of his, and he felt his erection hardening. Margot slowly circled her hips, so that his shaft pressed tight against her inner thigh, making him gasp.

"Yeah, I think I do." he replied, hardly able to speak.

Damn, how this woman knew how to push his buttons! He felt so aroused by her closeness, that it almost overtook his conscious mind. His hands wandered to her thighs, to the feminine curves of her hips, and pulled her closer - which made a soft moan escape her lips.

"I really, really want for you to fuck me, John." she breathed to his ear, and kissed his neck, her lips moving all the way to the collar of his shirt and he felt her fingers opening his tie and pulling it off.

"I don't know if we should." Myers replied, trying to keep his voice low. "My sister is sleeping in the next room - we can't wake them up."

"If I promise to be really quiet?" Margot winked and bit her lip.

"You can't, I know it."

"Pretty please?" she grinned, and circled her hips on a way that made Myers curse, his cock getting really hard in his pants. Her fingers were already opening the buttons of his shirt, and he knew he could not resist her touch. Groaning, he pulled her close, for another kiss, let his lips open hers and their tongues entwine. His hands were on the hem of her dress, and he pulled it up, first to her waist, and then - breaking the kiss - all the way up and off her, revealing her beautiful underwear.

The sight took his breath away, and he had to clear his throat.

Margot was all about pretty underwear, and today she had made special effort. Her bra and panties were of a luscious shade of pink lace, that matched the color of her dress, and she had black hold up stockings that reached her mid thigh. She had learned by now, that this was a look that certainly worked on him, and just the feeling of the stockings under his palms was enough to make him hard.

"Still want to resist?" Margot breathed, and pulled his hand on her breast. Groaning into the kiss he palmed her chest, letting his fingers feel the soft skin of her bosom, and the hardness of her nipple inside of the bra.

A sharp gasp of pleasure left Margot, as Myers grabbed her harder, and tugged on the nipple, sending a wave of arousal through her core.

He kept caressing her nipples for some time, kissing her all the while, until she was moaning and shivering in his arms, her hips desperately pressing against him, trying to feel the bulge of his pants on her swollen clit. It was only then, that he opened her bra, and let it fall to the floor, and he moved his hand to her panties.

A moan, too loud, left her lips, when he brushed her crotch gently through the fabric.

"Hush, you promised to keep quiet." he breathed, with a smile.

It was a huge turn on for him, to notice that she was unable to control the reactions of her body as he touched her.

"I'm trying." she whimpered. "You might have to stick something into my mouth, though."

"Oh, I'm liking that idea."

His voice was dark and low, and it felt raw in his throat. He made a low growl pulling her close, and filling her mouth with his tongue, while sliding his hand into her soaking wet panties, and finding her clit.

Her body immediately answered to his touch, her hips jerking to his hand, her heart racing, her fingers digging into the skin of his shoulders. Slowly he circled her clit with his fingers, with just enough pressure to make her gasp and sigh, but not enough to let her come. His fingers easily sunk into her tight, slick hotness, and the feeling of her insides made him groan. Christ, he wanted her so much it felt like he'd explode if he didn't get inside of her right now!

"Can you keep quiet if I fuck you from behind?" he rasped, holding her tight against his chest.

"I can try." she exhaled.

"You'll gonna have to do more than just try. My sister and her husband are sleeping in the next room, and I sure as Hell don't want them walking on us." he breathed to her hair. "So, can you keep quiet, or do I have to gag you?"

To test her, he kept caressing her clit, now adding some pressure on it. She gasped and squirmed feeling his fingers on her sensitive flesh, and when he let his fingers hit her sweetest spots on just the right way, she made a rather loud moan.

"Thought so." he chuckled.

"Just gag me already." she breathed, her voice nothing but a whine. "There should be a scarf in my bag."

"On it."

Myers let go of, and used this moment to get rid of his shirt. He went to search her bag, and found what he was looking for. A long silk scarf, and something else too. A pair of her lace panties, clean ones. He rolled the panties on a tight knot, and turned back to Margot, who was on her knees on the floor, just waiting to obey him.

It was something he'd learned about her, little by little, that she actually preferred to be the submissive one. She got her kicks from being told what to do in bed, and Myers sure as Hell didn't mind it at all.

"Open your mouth." he commanded on a low, raspy tone. As she obeyed him, he gently filled her mouth with the rolled panties, and then secured the gag by binding the scarf on her mouth.

He was so turned on by her closeness, that he felt high headed. It was so hard not to rush it, not to throw her to the floor and take her by force.

 _There's no rush. She's yours, she trusts you, you have the whole night to enjoy her, and make her come so hard she won't know what hit her._

Groaning he resisted the urge to be rough, and gently laid his hands on her waist. He guided her to turn around and kneel on the floor, resting her upper body on the bed. Slowly he pulled down her pretty panties, and helped them off. He left the hold ups, though. He knew they both loved the feeling of his hands on them, when he fucked her.

"I love the sight of you like this. You're so damn beautiful, you know that?" he breathed, trying to keep his voice low. His hands were on her hips, feeling the softness of her curves, the small of her back, the sweet roundness of her butt cheeks.

"Spread your legs for me, sweetheart." he commanded, and she obeyed.

Oh Christ, she was so wet already! He loved the way she felt, her folds slick and swollen, and so sensitive that she made a sharp gasp as he gently brushed on them with his knuckles. And her clit, sweet heaven, he adored the way her hips jerked and a shiver went through her body, as he pressed on it.

A muffled moan escaped her gagged mouth, as he entered two fingers into her swollen heat.

"Be quiet." he reminded her, but with a chuckle.

Yeah, it made him feel like a Man, to hear the sounds she made as he pleased her. With every small gasp, he felt his erection throbbing harder and harder, in the agony of his pants. Margot wasn't one to hide her pleasure, and her loud sex noises, her moans, cries and curses were usually a huge turn on for him. But now they really, _really_ needed to keep silent, which was a different kind of an adventure.

" _Please, John… please…!"_ She sent to his mind, a desperate wail. Her whole body was trembling slightly, her hips trying to push back to his hand, to make him touch her clit on a way that would release her.

But he wasn't gonna give that to her yet.

"Give me your hands." he rasped, and without waiting for her to obey, he grabbed her arms and pulled them behind her back. With one swift move, he pulled off his belt and then wrapped it around her wrists binding her hands together. She was now (seemingly) helpless, his prisoner. He took a moment to cool down, to admire her beauty in the dim room, the roundness off her perfect ass, her tiny waist, her position and her willingness to succumb to this little game.

That was one thing he loved about her. She was always willing to try any fantasy or a game he had in mind. These past months had thought Myers a great deal about himself, as well as her.

He had to bite his lip, to be able to keep cool. He used this small moment to to unbutton his jeans and pull them off, together with his boxers, before he laid his hand on her crotch again, and pushed a few fingers inside of her, making her squirm and gasp.

" _Oh, Christ, John!"_ she moaned into his mind. " _Please, fuck me already!"_

"Begging, are you now?" he asked with a low laughter, but pulled away his fingers - just to replace them with his aching, rock hard shaft that easily sunk into her tight, creamy cunt.

"Oh, fuck…!" he groaned, and grabbed hard on her hip bones. "Fuck, it's so good!"

But the only answer she could give him, was a desperate, muffled groan, for the agonizing need to have John fuck her, overtook both of their minds, and he could not resist to give her what she yearned for. Gripping hard on her hips, he thrusted deep inside of her, slowly at first, but then fastening his pace, his large, thick cock pounding hard into her sweet heat, as deep as it could possibly go.

It didn't take long before he felt her inner muscles tightening, her hips desperately pressing against him, her legs cramping - and then, the release, the primitive pulse of her slick heat, that made her body collapse on the bed.

Myers pulled out, not to be swept within the current. He pressed his forehead to her back and bite his lip, to fight the need to come with her, waiting for her orgasm to pass. She was still gasping for air, her sweaty form trembling slightly in his arms.

"You okay?" he asked, after giving her a few moments to come to.

She made a nod, and a small, satisfied sound, turning her head so that he could see her face. He reached a hand to wipe her moistened curls from her face, to see her blushing cheeks and the look on her dark eyes, their dilated pupils.

"I'm not quite done with you yet." his voice felt thick and raspy in his throat, and he pressed his hard cock against her, so that she clearly felt every inch of his desperate need. "That okay by you?"

She gave him a small nod again, and tilted her hips on a inviting way.

Slowly he pushed back inside, a low growl escaping his lips, no matter how hard he tried to keep quiet. It was madly arousing to feel her like this, so tight and sensitive after her climax, the last waves of her orgasm caressing his shaft. And he knew he wasn't the only one enjoying it - it didn't take that long for Margot's arousal to stirr up again, for her small gasps and muffled moans to turn more ecstatic, more desperate.

Yeah, he knew this was her favorite position. And his too, quite frankly. And not just because he had learned that he could make her come so easily like this, but also because it just felt so damn good. He reached so deep like this, that it was mind blowing. The feeling of her slender body bending under his touch, his cock stretching her open with every thrust - it was intoxicating.

He let his hands wander to her butt cheeks, to grab on them, to caress them with his firm grip. And just then a thought hit him - a rather naughty thought, one he was pretty sure Margot wouldn't object.

Carefully he placed a finger on her other entrance, the tight small slit between her sweet, round buttocks, and just this small feather light touch was enough to make Margot jump and gasp.

"Easy." he breathed. "I'm not gonna hurt you."

" _Fuck, John…!"_ she gasped into his mind, as he slowly, very gently eased a finger inside of her, his rock hard erection filling her other hole.

Her whole body seemed to go weak under his touch, he could feel her rapid pulse with every part of his body, and he knew what she ached for. She hid her face from him, pressed her forehead on the bed and wail escaped her gagged mouth, a desperate, animal sound that encouraged him to push deeper.

Fuck, she was tight! He didn't force it, but waited for her to relax, for the tight ring of muscle to give in just enough for him to be able to carefully push his finger back and forth in sync with the thrust of his hips.

" _Oh.. oh… pleeeease!"_ she cried into his mind, and her tone was clear enough. " _John, Christ!"_

He carefully added another finger, again giving her time to adjust, until he felt she had relaxed enough for him to keep on going. Wow, it was a crazy feeling, to feel the thin layer of muscle that separated his cock from his fingers. It was so madly arousing, that he really had to fight it, not to lose his self control, and come. He _so_ didn't want this to end yet!

But Margot was on the edge already, squirming and panting, her whole body shaking with need for him to fill her, and he gave her what she was begging for. Fucking her slick, hot cunt hard, all the while caressing her other entrance with his fingers, he pushed her over the edge into another climax.

She screamed as she came, her orgasm even fiercer than the previous one, and Myers could only hope the gag had been enough to hide the sounds. He felt the pulse of her inner muscles on his shaft and his fingers, and it was by far the most arousing thing he'd ever felt.

It took all he had, not to come with her.

Two orgasms. He'd given her two already, and his cock was still rock hard inside of her, waiting for his own reward.

"How do you feel?" he asked, after she had calmed down. He pulled both his hand and his cock out of her, and gently caressed the small of her back, her skin hot and sweaty under his touch.

" _I'm good."_ she sent. " _Better than good. But what about you, Thad?"_

"Don't you worry about me." he rasped, and gripped hard on her hips, pulling her ass closer. He placed the head of his cock, still slick of her fluids, onto her smaller entrance, and carefully began to push inside.

" _Fuck!"_ Margot cursed into his mind. " _John, I-"_

He stopped immediately. "I don't want to hurt you. Just let me know if it's too much, okay?"

She took a deep breath, and he felt her body relaxing, the tension of her core easing.

" _Okay. Just go easy on me."_

He didn't answer, but his grasp on her hips softened, turned into a caress. Slowly he felt the tight ring of muscle giving in, and the head of his cock sinking inside of her.

"Christ…!" he cursed and bit his lip not to cry out loud.

She was so damn tight that it almost made him lose it! And the echoes of her feelings, of the deep animal pleasure, and the slight pain of being stretched open, made him gasp.

He stopped for a short moment, to give Margot time to relax, before beginning to move. Slowly at first, but the small sounds she made were definitely of pleasure, and they encouraged him to go on.

 _Oh, Fuck! Goddamned, this is good…! Take it slow, careful, do_ _ **not**_ _go too deep, do_ _**not**_ _hurt her, do not push too hard, take it easy, easy, don't be a brute - but God, it feels so good, I can't take this much longer, and she's so fucking tight, I've never felt anything like this, Christ, I'm gonna-_

He felt his orgasm building up, like a volcano inside of his core, and there was little he could do now to prevent it.

Just a few more fast thrusts, and he succumbed to the sweet release. He came with a low, wolfish growl, filling her tightness with his hot cum.

"Oh.. Oh. My. God!" he moaned, pressing his forehead on her back, his hands still gripping hard on the softness of her skin. Fuck, he felt like he was gonna faint! A few deep inhales, breathing in her sweet scent - he let his heartbeat slow down a bit before even trying to move.

When he finally felt like he wasn't going to black out, he slowly, very carefully, pulled out of her. His fingers felt still clumsy and shaky, when he began to open the makeshift bond on her wrists, but somehow he managed. Margot had already used her telekinetic powers to open the bond securing her gag, but she obediently waited for him to pull the roll of panties out of her mouth. Not to spoil the illusion that she was under his control, he knew.

He gently wrapped his arms around her shivering form, and pulled her close. She felt so tiny, so vulnerable in his arms, that it took his breath away.

"You alright?" he asked, cradling her in his arms. His voice felt all raspy and raw in his throat.

She didn't answer at first, but just cuddled closer to his chest. She was trembling, and he knew from her mind that it was because her sweaty skin had begun to feel the chilliness of the room. He lifted her up, and helped her to the bed, joining her between the sheets. Placing a small kiss on her hair, he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her tiny form, to keep her warm.

"Damn, John. That was _not_ vanilla." Margot said after a short while, with a smile in her voice.

"Yeah, I guess not."

"I've corrupted you." she made a small laugh. "I've ruined your innocent boyscoutness."

"Hardly. Besides, that's not even a word."

"I don't care. Fuck, John, you know how hard you made me come? Damn, that was the best thing ever!"

"I don't disagree." he sighed.

"You ever done that before?" Margot asked, after a short silence.

He shook his head. "Not as such, no. You?"

She shrugged. "A few times. But I can tell you, I've never enjoyed it before."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"But you did this time?"

"I sure did." she admitted. "We should try it again sometime."

"Not gonna object." he buried his face into her hair, breathing in her familiar scent of roses and cinnamon and sex. "God's I love you so much. You know that, right?"

"You love me because I let you fuck my ass?"

He couldn't help but to laugh. "I love you because you're you."

"Yeah." she caressed his hair. "I love you too, Naughty Scout."

Another silence, a longer one this time.

"You think we woke up the whole house?" Myers asked then.

Margot shook her head. "Nope. They're all asleep. I checked."

"Thank God." he breathed. "Shower?"

"Yeah." Margot gave a soft laugh. "If I recall correctly, you're great in bathroom too."


	42. Part III: Growing up

**Part III: Family Matters**

 **Chapter: Growing up**

* * *

"Red, have a beer with me?" Myers asked, leaning on the door frame.

"Sure." Hellboy stepped aside. "Wanna come in?"

Myers peeked at his room, noticing Kat, who was slacking on the truck bed. She had a huge bowl of popcorn on her lap, and a few cats purring contently by her side. Even like this, in her sweatpants and a black T-shirt, she was breathtakingly beautiful - her black hair forming a sharp contrast with her white skin, her human form still having a touch of her elvish beauty.

"Hey Myers, what's up?" Kat asked, not turning her eyes off the numerous TV monitors, and Myers only replied with a wave of his hand. He knew better than to intrude, when Kat was like this.

"I need to talk to you about something, Red." he said, turning his eyes back to Hellboy. "Let's go out?"

"Like really out, out?"

"Yeah. It's fine. I checked it with Professor."

"And Manning?"

Myers rolled his eyes. "You really care about what he thinks?"

"You've got a point. I'll grab some beer."

"I've got it covered." Myers lifted a six-pack he had brought. "Bud fine?"

"Fine." Hellboy replied, taking his coat and making sure he had a cigar in it's pocket. "I'm going out, Babe!" he announced Kat, but she hardly noticed. West Wing was just too irresistible.

* * *

"So, how was Thanksgiving?" Myers asked when they had reached the outer world, and were walking towards a small, relatively quiet park nearby. It was late, and it was dark, so it was unlikely that they'd ran into too many people.

The November night was chilly, and their breath vaporised in the cool air. Hellboy lit his cigar and Myers wrapped his scarf around his neck, pushing his hands deep in his pockets. Red was carrying the beers with his tail.

"It was fine." Hellboy shrugged. "I don't know why Kat's so jumpy about her family. I mean, yeah, her parents are intimidating, but her brothers are-"

"Not intimidating?" Myers raised an eyebrow.

"Not to me." Red grinned. "Maybe I'm not that easily scared."

"It's not that Jay scares me. But he does make me want to punch him in the face."

"Nah. He's not that bad. He just gets under your skin, because he has history with your girl."

"Christ, does everybody know about that?" Myers sounded exasperated

"Yeah, pretty much." Hellboy replied. "There's no privacy in this place, you should know."

"Oh, I know, alright."

Myers walked to a nearby bench, and took a seat. Red sat by his side, and in a moment of silence they both opened a beer.

"We're thinking about getting a place outside of BPRD." Myers said after a short while. "A real house, with a yard and all."

"Really? That sounds… adult."

He made a small laugh. "Yeah, I guess it does. But that's the way it is for us regular folks, we grow up and we grow old."

"Huh." Hellboy took another gulp of the cool beverage. "Boy Scout's growing up. First getting married, then getting a house… What's next, kids?"

Myers didn't reply, but looked away from him, and for a second or so Hellboy had the feeling he had said something stupid. But the moment was over soon, and Myers turned back to Red, with a small smile.

"Come on, tell me you never think about marriage. You love Kat, I know it."

"Yeah, but we're happy like this. Things are good."

"She's a good woman, Red. You've been lucky."

"Tell me about it."

Yeah, he had been lucky indeed. Finding a woman who didn't mind him sleeping in a truck bed or having a dozen cats, or eating pizza or nachos every night… it was like winning in the lottery.

And then there was the other stuff. Kat being dumb enough to risk her precious life to save him? That was some real love, and Hellboy knew he'd been blessed. Letting Kat go the past summer, after some very bad advice from the late Ms. Botox, had been the worst mistake of his life, and he sure as Hell wasn't going to repeat that.

But marriage? He hadn't really thought about it, but now he wondered if he should. Maybe it was something Kat expected of him, now that even Myers was getting married.

With this distracting thought in his mind, he brought the beer to his lips, and took a long swig. It was actually too cold to be drinking beer outside, but Hellboy was never cold, and Myers didn't seem to care either, even if his nose and cheeks had gotten red from the chilly air.

"So… there was something I wanted to ask you." Myers said after a while, turning to look at Hellboy.

"Yeah? What's that?"

"Would you be my Best Man?"

The question took Red by surprise. He certainly hadn't been expecting this!

"Your… Best Man?"

"Yeah, for the wedding."

"You serious?"

"I am."

"But… but wouldn't Abe be a lot better for that job?"

"Abe would no doubt be excellent in that post, but he is not my best friend. You are."

Myers' reply silenced Hellboy, but only momentarily.

"Damn, you don't have enough friends." he said after a while. "You should get out more."

"Probably, but you still haven't answered the question."

Hellboy took a long look at his friend.

Yeah, they had gone through a lot together.

Hellboy knew he owed his life, and a lot more to Myers, who had reminded him of his true soul in that wretched mausoleum in Russia. If it hadn't been for Myers… well, the world would look a lot different right now. And then, In Prague he had almost lost Myers, a bit more than a year ago. Even if the kid was fully healed now, that memory still brought a foul taste to Hellboy's lips. Not to mention the time that crazy lady Ms. Botox had drained his blood and tried to slice Myers to pieces… Hellboy still felt like it was his fault. Letting his guard down had almost gotten both of them killed.

And those weren't the only times their lives had been in danger when working together. There were too many times to count.

They had bled together, suffered together - and laughed together.

From the beginning, when he had disliked this young brat and teased him relentlessly, a lot had changed. He knew better now.

If it hadn't been for Abe, who was no doubt his best friend (after all, they had been friends for decades), Myers would've held that title.

"Yeah, kid. Of course I'll be your Best Man." he said. "It's an honor."

Myers broke into a relieved smile.

"No, the honor is mine, brother."

"So, when's the wedding gonna be?" Hellboy asked.

"Sometime in spring." Myers shrugged. "We haven't decided on the date yet."

"In here?"

"Nope. Margot want's to get married in Brussels."

"As in Europe?" Hellboy raised an eyebrow. He put the now emptied beer can down, and concentrated on his cigar again.

"Yeah. And you know what? I really don't care." Myers finished his beer too, and leaned back on the bench. "It's all the same to me where we get married and how. The only thing I care about is, that… Well, you know. That she's happy."

"Yeah. I know." Red replied. "You're so henpecked."

"Hah! You're one to talk."

"Dunno what you're talking about, kid." he replied coolly, but decided it was best to change the subject. "So, about being your Best Man… I really don't know that much about weddings. Is there a guide or something?"

"Don't think so." Myers laughed. "You should probably ask Abe."

 _Yeah, or Margot_ , Hellboy thought to himself. For if he knew her at all, she had every detail planned already, and he sure as Hell wasn't going to anger her.


	43. Part III: Diamond Heart

**Part III: Family Matters**

 **Chapter: Diamond Heart**

* * *

 **Four months later, Brussels:**

Under the huge glass dome of the Serres Royales de Laeken (Winter Garden), a very nervous groom was waiting for his bride. In his super stylish British morning suit, that consisted of a black cutaway coat, a light green silk waistcoat and black striped dark gray trousers, he knew he looked like a hero of an Austen novel, but inside he felt like falling apart.

It had been a full week and a half since he had seen Margot, and it was killing him.

Margot had come to Brussels with Kat beforehand, to prepare the wedding, and Myers had only arrived yesterday. Secretly he had hoped to get to see her at his arrival, but she had insisted that they didn't.

"It's bad luck if the groom sees the bride before the wedding, so don't you even think about it!" she had said on the phone. "We've had enough of bad luck already."

But now, waiting for her to arrive, Myers felt as if it had been a year instead of week and a half. He felt her absence in every cell of his body, as a hollow ache in his heart and agonizing need in his bloodstream. He needed her, like he needed the air he breathed, and when he wasn't with her, he felt like suffocating.

Anxious, he glanced around in the large room, that Margot had picked for their wedding, and yes, he had to admit, that it was beautiful. It felt like they were in the middle of a tropical forest, and with the hundreds of exotic trees and flowers surrounding the square they stood on, it was easy to forget that they were in actually in Brussels. The 150 years old royal dome of glass and iron arched high above their heads, and the tallest of palm trees reached almost to it, giving the afternoon light a subtle shade of green.

All the guests had arrived already, and were on their seats, he noticed. There was his family, Sue-Ellen and Ronald and the kids (who were all wide eyed, staring at Hellboy, except for Jack who's eyes were fixed on Jay and Andy) and Amanda, who gave John a smile and a thumbs up.

But even more important to Myers was the presence of his friends and colleagues. Among the wast number of people who had arrived by BPRD's private Jet, was Clay, with his girlfriend Brexia (with whom Margot had befriended). Manning was attending of course, and even Professor Broom, who had hesitated until the last minute, saying that he was really too old to travel this far for a wedding. And Abe. Thank God for him, and his friendship during these past months! His big, dark eyes were so calm and reassuring that Myers drew strength from them, as they locked gazes for a short while.

He turned to look at Margot's side of the guests, noticing Jay and Andu, and of course many familiar faces from Europol, including Marco Dornak, who gave him a radiant smile, and the other agents he had learned to know on the mission on Prague. And of course Margot's family - Professor Heinemann, wearing his best dark suit and a black tie, and by his side, Martha, her eyes already in tears.

The look in Professor Heinemann's eyes told Myers, that if he fucked this up, he'd be a dead man. It sure didn't help Myers' nerves at all, but luckily Martha gave him a loving gaze and a warm smile.

The only ones missing were Kat and Margot.

"What's taking so long?" Myers breathed, his voice tense and stretched. "Isn't she supposed to be here already?"

"Easy, kid." Hellboy replied. "The bride is always late, or so I've heard."

"But what if… what if she's not coming."

"Oh, she'll be here. Kat's gonna make sure of that."

"Christ, I hope so." Myers breathed.

And just then he heard the first notes of violin, that echoed in the high arch of the dome, and he turned to see.

There she was, Margot, walking towards him, and her looks took his breath away.

She was wearing a light green gown, with empire waist and a simple cut, and gloves of matching colour that reached up to her elbows. In her neck, in a thin gold chain, was the diamond ring he had given her. The wild, undisciplined curls of her hair were pulled up, and decorated with ivy and real lilies. She looked like a fairy, or a dryad, her pale skin glowing white, under the green light of the garden.

No one walked her down the aisle - that was the way she had wanted it. "I'm no one's property." she had said. "And I walk to John of my own free will, to become his."

Now, watching her approach, Myers knew Margot did it because she wanted to. Because, for whatever reason, she had chosen _him_. Not Jay, not Marco, nor anyone else, but _him_ \- to be her lover and her companion for the rest of her life. Her cheeks blushed, as she locked eyes with him, and suddenly all of his nervousness disappeared. The room around them seemed to vanish, and all he could see was her. All that mattered was the way she looked at him, and took his hand, the grip of her slender fingers strong and determined.

The ceremony was short and simple. No exchanging of rings (for they were just so impractical in the job), no long wows, or endless speeches. They both simply said 'I do', when asked if they wanted to have the other one as their spouse, to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do them part - and then he was allowed to kiss the bride.

The glimmer in her eyes, as she turned to face him, was a mix of tears and love and desire, and he felt it in every inch of his body.

Her waist was tiny in his hands, her hair scented of lilies and roses and spring, and her lips were on his in a heartbeat. Their minds merged, and he couldn't help but to gasp into their kiss, pulling her slender form tight against him, her arms wrapping around his neck.

" _I missed you!_ " he sent to her mind.

" _And I you, husband_." she replied. " _You look dreamy!_ "

There was cheering, laughing and clapping of hands, and suddenly Myers realized he had been kissing Margot for quite a while, and blushing, he broke the kiss.

"You are now husband and wife." the registrar declared, and Myers' heart skipped a beat.

Husband and wife, till death do us part. Hell, yes!

He turned to look at Margot, who was hopping of excitement, and grinning like a maniac, which made the crowd cheer and laugh.

"Weehee! I'm married!" Margot announced laughing out loud. "It's party time! Champagne, everyone!"

"The drinks are served in the next room, where you can all congratulate the happy couple." said Kat, who had walked to them. "Just follow me."

And taking Margot's hand, Myers let Kat and Hellboy lead them, and all the guests out of the room.

* * *

A few hours later, the party was on.

After the ceremony, they had first had the champagne and other drinks in a smaller hall, while the large dome room had been transformed into a dining area and a dance floor. And after the dinner of three delicious courses, and some (luckily not too long) speeches for the newlyweds, the party had truly started. Margot had hired a few trusted guy from 'À la mort subite' to serve the guests as much wine, beer or other drinks as they could possibly want, and there was a small band playing lively dance music.

Margot was clearly having the time of her life, and Myers just couldn't get enough of watching her.

She had long ago abandoned her high heels, and was now dancing bare feet to the beat of a Lady Gaga cover. She held a champagne bottle in her hand, her skin was sweaty and her cheeks red from all the dancing, the stylish hairdo was all gone, and her wild curls moved to the music, her bare feet stomping the ground and her hips swinging on a primitive rhythm, and Myers knew he had never seen her more beautiful.

Margot was on the dance floor with Brexia and Amanda, and they certainly had gotten the attention of every male in the room, but for once Myers didn't mind.

He knew Margot was his, and that she was dancing for him.

"Myers, my man!" interrupted an annoyingly familiar voice, and someone patted Myers on his shoulder, making him spill his drink. "You truly are a lucky guy, having a wife like that! She is hot as Hell, I'm telling you."

"Yes, I am aware of that, Jay." Myers frowned at the blue guy. "And of the fact that she is _my_ wife."

"I envy you, I do." assured Jay, turning his eyes back to Margot. "I only got to sleep with her a few times, but you get to do that every day! I take it you do it often enough? You don't keep that hot chick in agony, do you Myers? A girl like her needs some serious loving, if you get my meaning."

 _Just hit him and he'll stop talking._

 _A punch on his smug, arrogant face and he'd be spitting blood to the floor._

But he glanced at Margot, who was waving at him and laughing, and he knew she'd never forgive him if he started a fight in their wedding.

Counting silently to ten in his mind, Myers turned to look at Jay again.

"I can assure you that I am up to the task." he replied with a venomous tone. "And I want to hear no more on the subject."

"All right, what's going on here?" another voice said. "Jay, you're not making fun of the happy groom again, are you?"

"On the contrary, brother!" Jay replied to Andu. "I was just admiring the beauty of his wife, and telling him, that he's one lucky guy."

"Yes, she is lovely indeed. Congratulations again, John, you must be very content." said Andu with a sincere and polite tone, making Myers once again wonder how on Earth was it possible that these two guys were identical twins. With their dark blue skin, black curly hair and long tails they looked so similar, that you couldn't have told them apart, but when they opened their mouths, there was no mistaking.

Andu was a good and honest man, an intellectual and a loner, and his soul was filled with weltschmerz. But Jay? He was like a Duracell bunny on steroids.

"Lovely?" laughed Jay at his brother's words. "That's an understatement of the year! Margot is blazing hot, and you know it. She's got the body to die for, and-"

"Just leave it at that, brother. There are plenty of other fish in the sea, for you to admire." Andu ordered, and miraculously enough Jay obeyed.

"If by fish you are referring to the cute merman, I already tried to hit on him, but he didn't warm up to me." Jay shrugged. "Such a pity. I've never slept with his kind before."

That thought silenced both Andu and Myers for some seconds, but Jay was quick to move on. "So, tell me Myers, who is that cute guy with black hair and a nose piercing. He's been staring at me the whole night."

Myers cleared his throat.

 _Can I just kill him where he stands?_

"My nephew, Jack. He's sixteen. If you touch him, I **will** kill you."

"Sixteen?!" Jay laughed. "So young and so beautiful! But do not worry, my friend, he's too young for me! I'll wait a decade or two, for him to grow up. But on the meanwhile, that hot blonde on the dance floor is just waiting for me to sweep her off her pretty feet, so if you'll excuse me-"

"She's my sister Goddamn, Jay! Don't you dare to-"

"Wow, you do have hot relatives!" Jay seemed genuinely delighted. "Tell me she's not sixteen as well."

"No, but-"

"Then adieu, mes amis! I'm off to make a girl very happy!"

Myers turned to Andu, a desperate look in his eyes.

"Andu, stop him or I'll have to shoot him."

Andu gave him a friendly tap on the shoulder, and a reassuring smile.

"Do not worry, John. I'll take care of this."

Myers watched, as Andu followed Jay to the dance floor, and reaching his brother, he leaned to say something in his ear. Whatever it was, it had the effect Myers had been hoping for, since Jay apparently lost interest on Amanda and headed off the dance floor, leaving Andu to bow and ask Amanda for a dance.

But Myers lost interest on Kat's brothers as he noticed Margot leaving the dance floor as well, and walking to him, holding a bottle of Champagne on other hand and her shoes in other.

"Hey, gorgeous." Margot purred and leaned to kiss him in the lips.

"You're so damn beautiful, you know that?" he breathed into the kiss, letting his lips open hers and their tongues find each other.

The kiss took his breath away, and made him high headed. He felt the humming of her blood in her veins, the rapid beat of her heart, her mind that reached to him, and he pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her, his hands finding the curves of her hips under the softness of her wedding dress.

Margot broke the kiss, and gave him a lustful look through her lashes.

"I love that style on you, hero." she purred. "Cutaway coats make me horny."

"Yeah, thought so, since you were the one who told me to wear this. But gotta tell you, that dress is awesome. Not the most traditional wedding dress, but then again, you're one of a kind."

"I couldn't have worn a white dress. White is supposed to symbolize virginity and purity, and we both know that ship has sailed."

"Well, who want's a virgin anyways?" Myers chuckled. He let his hands find her slender waist, and the small of her back, caressing her curves through the fabric of her dress.

"Wanna make out in the toilet?" she grinned.

"Hell, yes." Myers groaned. "Lead on."

Giggling Margot took his hand, and led him through the crowd, to the hallway and the nearest men's room.

His lips were on hers on the minute she had dragged him into one of the small booths, and with force he pushed her against the wall, making her gasp.

" _Christ, I missed you so much! Never leave me again!"_ he groaned into her mind, his hands desperately grabbing her hips.

" _I won't, not ever."_ she replied, and her hands were in his neck, pulling him closer.

Her closeness, her intoxicating odor of champagne, roses and lilies made him high headed and he felt his blood pulsing hot and demanding in his veins, the need awakening inside of his groin.

Her small, gloved hands were on his waist now, feeling his tight abdomen, the waistband of his trousers under the waistcoat, and he felt his erection hardening.

"I want you so much." he breathed, his lips brushing hers.

"Wanna fuck me now?" she exhaled, and pressed her slender body against his, letting her hand find his hard shaft through the fabric, making him moan and bit his lip.

"Not here." he managed to rasp. "I want to take you to the gorgeous wedding night suite, and make love to you there, all sweet and slow, all night long."

"Oh, sweet and slow you say? I'm liking that plan."

But her hand was still on his cock, caressing it through his pants, and he couldn't help the need that rushed through his veins. She gently rubbed him, palmed the head of his aching shaft and caressed it on a way that took his breath away.

Groaning he pushed her against the wall, and pulled up the hem of her dress, let his fingers find the bare skin of her thighs, and her backside, feel the lace of her panties. She let go of his cock, and wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him near, and he pushed his hips hard against her abdomen, making her gasp.

Her breasts were so heavenly soft against his chest, and they called for his hands, for his lips, and he felt his mouth watering on the thought.

He knew there was a wedding night suite waiting for them in the city, he had reserved it himself - the only thing Margot had let him do for this wedding. But Damn, if Margot was gonna keep teasing him any more, he would take her here and now.

But just then they heard the door opening, and Margot broke into a giggle.

"Who's there?" she asked, laughing.

" _Can't you tell?"_ Myers sent to her mind.

"Red?" she asked. "That you?"

"Yeah, it's me. Margot?" the low voice of the demon replied. "You there too, Myers?"

"Yup." Myers replied, his voice still hoarse in his throat. "Umm, Red, can you give us a moment?"

There was a rumbling laughter, and they heard how Hellboy turned to leave.

"Sure thing, kids. I'll be outside."

The door closed, and Margot broke into a hysterical laughter.

"Jesus!" she breathed. "That was embarrassing!"

Myers held her against his chest, his fingers in her hair.

"We'd better get out of here."

"I don't want to, though." Margot purred. "I want you, between my thighs, inside of me, filling me every way I can think of. Right now."

Christ, the things she said! He felt his erection throbbing hard in the agony of his pants.

"Yeah, soon. I promise. In the hotel, okay?"

"Okay." she grinned, and tiptoed to give a kiss on his nose. "Let's get back to the party."

She opened the door of the small toilet booth, and they stepped out. Margot straightened her dress, made sure her hair was presentable, picked up the Champagne bottle she had placed by the sink, and headed to the door.

"Coming?" she asked, and Myers followed him out of the toilet into the hallway.

There was Hellboy, leaning on the wall, smoking his cigar and in his dark, leathery suit, he managed to look so menacing, that no one dared to approach the toilet.

"Guarding the door for us?" Margot asked. "That's sweet, Red. Thanks."

"You done?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"For now." Margot winked. She turned back to Myers, and pulled him yet into another kiss, her lips so warm and inviting, that he couldn't help but to groan, his need still pulsing hard in his veins.

Margot broke the kiss, laughing.

"Hold that thought." she breathed to Myers, and let go of him. "I'll see you in a minute."

Reluctantly Myers let go of her, and watched as she walked away from him, the hem of her green dress dancing around her legs, her hips swinging.

"You got a cigar? I could use one." Myers asked, leaning his back on the wall, still trying to catch his breath.

Red nodded, and pulled a metal box out of his pocket, and opened it offering Myers a fine, cuban cigar.

"Got some extra ones for the occasion." he noted. "Go ahead, take one."

Myers did, and Hellboy lit it with a lighter. Soon a strong, calming odor filled the air around them, and Myers felt his heartbeat steadying.

"Let's go out for a smoke?" Red suggested.

"Yeah, sounds good. Just give me a moment."

He wasn't going to spell out why, but he really needed to cool down a bit, before being able to walk.

Hellboy gave a low chuckle. "Just take your time, kid. No rush."

Myers felt his cheeks blushing. Yeah, this was embarrassing, but then again, so what? He was married to the most beautiful girl in the world, and that girl had just dragged him into the bathroom to make out with him, so he was entitled to feel a bit high headed and crazy.

"I'm one lucky guy." he said, after a minute or so.

"You are." Hellboy agreed.

"So, you've had fun in the party?" Myers asked, to get something else to think about, than how Margot's body had felt against his own.

"Sure. Good food, a lot of beer… What's there not to like?"

"My relatives aren't giving you hard time, then?"

"They're okay. The kid's stare at my horns, but they're just kids so it's fine."

"You've had any time to catch up with Kat?"

Hellboy shook his head. "Nah, not really. But don't worry, we'll have time after you guys head to the hotel."

"Right." Myers nodded. "You got a room there too?"

"Yup. But not near to yours, luckily."

Myers made a small laugh. "Good thinking."

"Thank Kat, she picked it." Hellboy tilted his head towards the exit. "Out?"

"Yeah." Myers nodded. "Let's get some fresh air."

* * *

Myers returned to the party after about fifteen minutes, and headed to the dome room. It was rather late now, and some of the guests had already headed for their hotels. But the ones still here, were having the time of their lives, the dance floor still crowded with people. Myers noticed that Andu was still dancing with Amanda, but he danced like a gentleman, his hand resting light on Amanda's waist, and Myers didn't see any reason to worry.

He took a seat by a table, and poured himself a glass of wine, glancing around to see Margot, but she was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey Myers, what's up?" asked Kat, taking a seat by his side.

"All is good." he replied. "Mostly thanks to you. You've done a great job, taking care of Margot and being there for her this past week. So thank you, sincerely."

"Nah, don't mention it." Kat shrugged. "Comes with the job description of being a best friend."

"Nevertheless." he raised his glass. "Cheers to a life long friendship!"

"Cheers, Myers. I'm really happy that you hooked up with Margot. You make a cute couple."

"Yeah, I'm happy about that too." Myers took a sip of his wine. "You've seen her?"

"Not in a few minutes."

"Huh. That's weird. She told me to meet her here."

Kat gave him a smile. "Don't worry, boy scout. I'm sure she'll be here any minute now."

* * *

In the women's toilet, Margot was fixing her makeup by applying some more lipstick to repair the damage the kissing had done.

She took a good look at herself in the mirror, and gave herself a smile.

The Champagne and happiness were bubbles in her bloodstream, and made her head spin. She was married, married to John Myers, who happened to be the love of her life, and who loved her too! And he was about to take her to their wedding night suite, and make love to her _all night long_.

Damn, just the thought of it, was enough to make her aroused, and she felt the a warm, electric sensation deep inside of her belly, an urge to feel him inside of her. Not having him in her bed this past week, had been pure torture, but thank God that was end soon enough.

Margot grabbed her Champagne bottle to take a sip, but just then the door of the toilet opened, and in stepped a tall, slender woman, wearing a gown of golden silk.

"I have been searching for you, for a long time." a low, and sexy voice said, and Margot turned to look.

She froze, and the bottle she'd been holding fell to the floor, shattering to pieces. A cold, horrible fear grabbed her heart like iron claws.

"You..?!" she stammered, taking a few steps back. "But I… I _killed_ you!"

"No." the woman in gold answered. "You killed the priestess. I am the Goddess."

Margot stared at her. At her golden hair that fell to her shoulders, her hourglass figure, her ice blue eyes that answered her stare with no hint of fear or hesitation.

"You're wearing her face." Margot breathed. "The face of Beatrix Connelly."

"That was her name? She served me well, until you killed her. I saw it fit, to use what she left me, to be able to walk on this Earth again."

"She managed to finish the ritual." Margot stated, more to herself than to the Goddess.

 _Fuck, I messed up!_ she cursed in her mind _. I left the pool of blood there, with that bitche's body floating in it, my mind filled only with John-_

And then, the agonizing fear. The Goddess had wanted John's life, and now she was here.

Margot hardened herself, forced herself to be focused. No matter what happened, no matter what that bitch said or did, she would _never_ let her have John. She'd die first.

But the Goddess tilted her head and observed Margot as if she'd been something truly interesting.

"It was not Beatrix Connelly, who finished the ritual. It was you. You spilled the blood, that raised me."

"But I didn't mean to!" Margot exhaled. "It was an accident!"

"It matters not. What happened, was meant to happen. _You_ are my priestess now, Margérie Duval, and all my power is yours. Come now, child. Let us leave this place."

Her heart froze, the cold sensation spreading to her limbs with her bloodstream.

"Where to?"

"You will see."

The Goddess raised her hand and grabbed the thing gold chain around Margot's neck, and ripped it off. The beautiful diamond ring, her engagement ring, fell to the floor, into a pool of spilled champagne and shattered glass.

Margot hardly noticed. She felt like paralyzed, she could not move, but just silently observed as the Goddess reached to touch her. In her heart she knew - there was no running away. The Goddess would take what she wanted - and this time it wasn't John.

" _Kat!"_ she screamed in her head. " _John! I fucked up, please help, I'm in the toil-"_

And then the Goddess laid her hand on Margot's shoulder, and the room around them disappeared.


	44. Part III: Vendetta

**_Thank you so much, my most loyal readers 'Flint & Feather' and 'Anicaios' for your most amazing reviews! You give me so much motivation to keep on writing. I would be nothing without you, my dear readers._**

 ** _Everyone else too, please review!_**

* * *

 **Part III: Family Matters**

 **Chapter: Vendetta**

* * *

 **Two months later, BPRD Headquarters:**

"This investigation is taking too much of our resources, and too much of our time." Manning stated dryly. "I'm assigning Agent Myers, Red and Abe back to their everyday jobs, and I am filing the case for now."

A shocked silence followed Manning's words in the meeting room.

Kat glanced at Myers, sitting across the table, and noticed his burning cheeks.

"And me, Sir?" Kat stated, turning her eyes to Manning, before Myers could speak up. "What are _my_ orders?"

"You, special agent Wagner, will do as you're told and help Abe in the investigation concerning the ghouls of New Orleans."

"What?" Kat was outraged. "That's bullshit! That case is a dead end, and you know it. There hasn't been any new clues on it for months! You just want me off Margot's case, because the truth is that you don't want her found. You hope we never get her back, because you are afraid of her."

Manning went pale, and stood up.

"You don't get to talk to me like that. I am your-."

"- boss? Well, what kind of a boss are you, abandoning one of your agents to an evil Goddess, doing absolutely nothing about it?!"

"We have been working on her case for two months without success, so it is time to accept that she's gone. Besides, Agent Duval might have been BPRD on paper, but that doesn't make her one of 'my agents'. She was one of your freak squad from the day one."

"Stop talking about her like she's dead." Myer's voice interrupted the argument.

He had stood up too, his face pale except for the burning spots on his cheeks. He leaned hard on the table, trying to control the emotion that made his muscles tremble.

"Agent Myers-" began Manning.

"Margot liked you, you know?" Myers breathed through his teeth. "God knows why, but she did. And she respected you, no matter what the others said about you, she always gave you credit, for keeping this place from falling apart. And this is how you repay her? This-" he spread his arms "-this bullshit? She's alive, and she's out there, and it's our fucking job to find her!"

"We haven't had a lead in weeks. It's over."

"The Hell it isn't!" Myers shouted. "It's not over until she's back here and that Goddess is dead."

"I am the director, and I tell you when a case is closed. And you, Agent Myers - if you want to make this a personal vendetta, you're free to do so, but not on our payroll."

"Is that so? Well, fuck you, Manning." Myers' voice was trembling. "Fire me if you will, but I'll never stop looking for my wife!."

But Manning didn't say a thing, he didn't order Myers to give away his badge or his weapon. Kat glanced from Myers to the director, and read the situation just right. Manning knew Myers was too valuable to lose. If Myers went, Red would leave too - and with him Kat and Abe as well. And then, what would BPRD be without it's 'freak squad'?

Even Manning must have known they were invaluable. But then, why didn't he want Margot found? Kat frowned on that distracting thought, and turned her attention back to Myers.

His hands shaking with badly controlled rage, Myers gathered his things, papers and the laptop, without a word turned his back to Manning, and left the room, leaving Kat and a bunch of silent and gloomy agents to continue the meeting.

"Let him go." Manning stated, and took a seat again. "Time move on to the other topics. Agent Kaye, tell me about your report on the vampire attacks in Harlem."

"Yes, Sir." Agent Kaye, a nice looking guy with oriental background, cleared his throat. "But I have something on the -"

Kat gave him a glance that shut him up mid sentence.

"There's a murderous Goddess who requires human sacrifices, roaming free, and she has one of our agents, and you think _this_ is important?" Kat hissed to Manning. "Vampires in Harlem? That's fucking everyday business, and we don't need a goddamn meeting about that."

"Agent Wagner, I will remind you of your place-"

"You can remind me of the fuck you want, but it doesn't change the fact that I'm right."

She opened the file she had been holding, and threw it on the table, pulling out a set of photographs and spreading them for all to see.

"Three dead in Berlin." she stated, pointing to the photos. "All cut open like fish, their hearts missing. And then another three in Tokyo. The same thing, missing hearts and spilled guts. And then Buenos Aires, and after that Kairo. Do I need to go on?" She paused for a moment, pointing her finger at the photos, staring at Manning until he had to look down. "This is _her_ doing, it has to be. All victims are beautiful young men - just like Myers, who was picked out to be the first sacrifice - and they have all been brutally sliced up, cut open with an obsidian knife."

"Speculation." Manning muttered, shaking his head. "Kairo? Buenos Aires? Look at the distance between those places, and these things happened not even a day apart. No one could move that fast, not even using a jet. These incidents might not be connected at all."

"Bullshit." Kat hissed. "She's a Goddess, for fucks sake, she doesn't need to take a plane. Even I could get around that fast if I wanted to."

"Nonetheless. The events of other continents are not our concern."

"Since when?" Kat snapped. "Is this some new policy, I haven't been informed on?"

"Agent Wagner." Manning stated, standing up again. "You are dismissed."

"But-"

"Get out of the room, now."

"Go fuck yourself." Kat stated on a venomous tone, and gathered her things.

But Manning didn't answer anymore, just waited for Kat to get out, to go on with his meeting.

* * *

When Kat exited the room, Myers was nowhere to be seen, which made her frown. She was still a bit shaken by the fact that Myers, of all people, had openly opposed Manning. It just wasn't like him - he was the 'good soldier', always playing by the books, but now..? Truth be told, something about John had scared Kat lately. Yeah, she'd seen him face some bad shit before, but this was unlike anything they had ever experienced, and it had brought out a different side of Myers.

He didn't sleep, he hardly ate, and you never saw him doing anything but work. And the only work he did, was Margot's case. Relentlessly, buried in books, photographs, and security tape footages from all around the world, he kept on searching, and Kat knew he had meant what he'd said to Manning. That he would never stop looking for Margot.

And neither would she. They had to find her, that was the only acceptable option, no matter what Manning said.

Kat went to Myers' rooms were she knew she'd find him, in his bedroom/office where he now spent most of his time. She didn't bother to knock, but simply teleported inside, giving Myers a Hell of a scare.

"Shit, Kat, don't you ever knock?" he spat out. "One day I'll end up shooting you!"

Kat didn't answer, but just walked to him, her blue tail making large circles in the air behind her. She leaned closer to take a look of the papers he had spread out on the table.

"What you doing?" she asked. "Any new leads?"

"What are _you_ doing?" Myers asked. "Didn't you hear what Manning said? You have your orders."

"So do you, but are you gonna follow them?"

"You know I can't."

"Then you know neither can I. We're in this together, and Manning can go fuck himself for all I care. He can fire us all, if he want's to, but I'm not gonna leave my best friend to that bitch of a Goddess."

Myers was silent for a short moment.

"And Red?"

"You know where he stands." Kat stated. "And Abe too. And maybe it's for the best that Manning thinks the case is closed. From now on we won't have to go through him, we can take this into our own hands."

"Our personal vendetta." Myers muttered. "To bring her home."

"Hell, yes." Kat gave a dark grin. "Margot killed that bitch for me once. I think it's time I repay the favor."

"Yeah." Myers sighed, and rubbed his forehead. "But to do that, we first have to find them. You know…"

"What?"

"Lately… I have began to think, that perhaps Manning is right."

"About closing this case?! That's insane!"

"No, about Margot… being dead." It was clear that it took a lot of effort for him to say those words. "I mean, we have all these leads, all these photo's of the victims and some of that bitch Connelly too, but none of Margot. Maybe that's because... the Goddess has killed her."

Kat wanted to hit Myers, to shout out loud, to throw him to the wall, but she resisted the urge. He seemed so broken, so shattered, that she could not make herself even to snap at him. In his eyes she saw all the despair she felt in her heart, and it got to her like an arrow, that pierced through her soul.

"She's not dead, you hear me? Don't you dare to say that. If she was, I would've felt it. _You_ would have felt it."

Myers looked up to her, his beautiful, blue eyes tired and hopeless.

"You sure about that?" he breathed.

"I'm sure." Kat replied. She had to, for if she let herself doubt, even for a one moment, she knew there would be no end to it. "We'll find her, alive, and we'll bring her home. Okay?"

"Yeah, okay." Myers rubbed his tired eyes, his voice strained and stretched. "I'm sorry, I just…"

"You look like Hell. Have you eaten anything?"

He shook his head.

"Damn, Myers!" Kat cursed, and walked out of the bedroom, towards the kitchen. "How on Earth you think you can work, if you don't eat? Margot would kick your ass for this."

Myers followed her into the kitchen, resigned, knowing well enough that it did no good to argue Kat.

She opened the fridge, just to notice that there was hardly anything in it. So, Myers hadn't been grocery shopping either.

"We're going for a pizza." Kat said, closing the fridge. "And no 'but's'. I won't work with you, when you're hungry and desperate. I need you sharp on this mission, not some-"

"-idiot who can't keep his shit together?" Myers asked.

Kat raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"Just something Margot said to me once." Myers shrugged, a haunted look in his eyes. "You see how it is with me now? I can't… I can't form a sentence without her name in it. If we don't find her, I don't know-"

"We've been through this already. We'll find her." Kat snapped. "Now shut up and take your coat, we're going to eat."

But just then there was a knock on the door, which made Kat glance at Myers.

"Expecting someone?" she asked, and Myers shook his head.

Kat, who was closer to the door, opened it.

"A bad moment?" asked Agent Kaye.

He was a nice man, and even if Kat wouldn't have called him a friend, she knew he was trustworthy and a good hearted fellow. One of those men, you knew would always get your back.

"No, it's fine." Myers replied, and Kat stepped aside to let Kaye enter.

"How you holding up?" Kaye asked, turning the gaze of his dark, almond shaped eyes to Myers, who quite frankly, looked like Hell. Even his sharp business suit and shaved face couldn't hide the fact that he was dying inside. His face was pale, his eyes red rimmed and there were dark circles under them, and he looked like he hadn't slept in weeks - which probably was the case.

But Myers just shrugged, and looked down.

"You came to tell me, Manning's decided to fire me?" he asked.

Kaye made a small snort. "I'm not his lapdog. But no, he's not firing any of you guys. Not to my knowledge."

"So, what is it?"

"This." Kaye said, and offered Myers a file. "I have some new intel on the case. I was gonna show it to Manning on the meeting, but if he doesn't want to hear about this anymore…"

"You're giving it to me? Behind his back?"

"He said the case is closed." Kaye shrugged. "It's my business what I do with this."

Myers took the file, his hand slightly shaking.

"Thank you, Kaye."

"Yeah, you know, I'm a married man too." he said. No more words were needed, Both Myers and Kat got his meaning.

"Thank you, really." said Myers. "So… you with us?"

"Every guy here is. You know that."

"I… I can't drag you into this. It's not fair. The rest of you should just do as you're told."

"Nonesense." Kaye replied. "Whatever Manning says, Margot is one of us. We ain't gonna leave her. When you need me, just give me a call."

Myers didn't reply, but hesitating only a short moment, he took the hand Kaye offered, and they shook on it. Silently Kat observed, waiting for the other agent to leave. It wasn't until Kaye had closed the door behind him, that Kat opened the file he had brought, and took out a pile of photographs.

On top of the pile was a black and white still from a security camera footage, a view from a street, with two women walking in a crowd.

"That's her." Myers voice sounded hoarse. "That's-"

"Yeah, it is." Kat replied. "I told you she was alive."

It most definitely was Margot, even if she looked very different. She was walking on a street, wearing a short dress that clung to her curves, a lot of jewelry and super high heels. Her hair seemed to have grown a lot, more than it should've been possible in a few months, and it fell to her back, reaching her hips.

And by her side, Beatrix Connelly.

Just the sight of her face made Kat feel sick. She felt the acidic taste of rage on her lips, and it burnt on her bloodstream.

Though, based on what Abe had shown them, touching Margot's ring, this creature who wore Connelly's face was in fact an immortal Goddess, who had stolen Botox' body and somehow repaired the damage Margot's bullets had done to it.

Nevertheless, she was definitely a bitch that needed to be put down, and Kat could hardly wait to do that.

"It doesn't look like she's holding Margot by force." Myers noted.

"Come on, it doesn't mean anything. She probably has her brainwashed."

"Then how are we going to get her away from that bitch?"

"We need a plan." Kat said. "A good one, and preferably sooner than later."

"This is Mexico City, yesterday." Myers said on a low voice, taking a closer look of the photograph. "The Goddess has gone home."

"Uhhuh." Kat agreed. "We should've stayed there and waited."

Myers didn't reply, but Kat knew he agreed.

They had went to Mexico City, a month ago, after running around the globe in vain, in search of the Goddess (it was a handy thing, that Kat had gotten a lot better at teleporting lately, with some help and advice from her brothers, and could get them practically anywhere in a heartbeat), but Manning had ordered them back home after a week. And it was true, that they had found nothing on their trip - the Goddess had not been there yet, nor Margot. But now they were, and that meant one thing only.

Myers turned to look at Kat, piling up the papers and the photos.

"Take me there, now." he ordered.

Kat gave him a halfhearted smile.

"So, no pizza tonight, but enchiladas? Suits me, Boss."

"Don't call me Boss."

"But you are, on this mission. It sure as Hell isn't Manning."

Myers gave an exasperated sigh. "Will you ever stop talking, and teleport?"

"Mexico City is a big place. Where to?"

"The same hotel as last time."

"Sure thing, Boss."

Myers was about to argue, about the use of the word 'Boss', but Kat had already taken his hand and in a loud 'bamf' they disappeared in a cloud of blue smoke.


	45. Part III: Hold that thought

**Part III: Family Matters**

 **Chapter: Hold that thought**

* * *

" _Hold that thought."_ Her voice echoed in his soul, and he could not stop listening to it. Over and over again, he played her words in his mind, until he felt like losing the grip of reality.

But what was there, in the reality, if he forgot her voice? What was there, if he let go of the last moment he had seen her, held her near, shared the rhythm of her heart?

" _Hold that thought. I'll see you in a minute."_

He still felt her hand in his own, her lips on his mouth, her soft breasts against his chest, her heartbeat in his bloodstream.

" _Hold that thought."_

Hell, like he could ever let go of that! Even without her plea in his mind, he would've clung to that thought like a drowning man clinging to a life buoy. It was the only thing that kept him from falling to an abyss of darkness, that would swallow him if he ever let go.

The thought that she had read from his mind.

" _Gosh, I love you so much!"_

" _Hold that thought."_ her smile, like sunshine in a world without light, like a rain in the desert, he still felt it in his bloodstream, her love that took his breath away. " _I'll see you in a minute."_

That minute had now lasted more than two months, and it had felt like an eternity. Every miserable second without Margot, was an endless night of suffering, pain and fear.

 _What will I do, if we fuck this up? What if I never get to hold her again?_

He shook his head in desperation, to drive away his doubts.

This was it, this was the day he'd get her back and everything would be right again. She was alive, and she was here, in the same city. There was no way he'd go home without her now, no matter the cost. And if it came to that, he was prepared to die for her.

He leaned hard on the sink, his hands slightly trembling, and raised his eyes to the mirror. In the pale light of the bathroom, he looked more like a zombie than a man, but he hardly cared. Looking like Hell was alright, when you were already dead inside.

 _You'll see her again tonight. Just hold on, she'll be in your arms in a few hours. Just calm down, so you won't mess this up._

But his hands wouldn't stop shaking. Too much caffeine, too little sleep in his exhausted body. When was the last time he had eaten? Myers shook his head. Yesterday, Kat had forced him to have some tacos in a small place down the street. But since then? He could not remember. He'd have to grab something before… before tonight's mission. Kat was right. He could not work if he didn't eat.

But how could he eat, when the only thing he could think about, was Margot?

The memory of the last moment he had seen her. Walking away from him, the hem of her green wedding dress dancing around her slender legs, her hips swinging on an inviting way, the taste of her kiss still burning on his lips.

" _I want to take you to the gorgeous wedding night suite, and make love to you there, all sweet and slow, all night long."_

" _Oh, sweet and slow you say? I'm liking that plan."_

But they had never gotten to that suit. Instead, Myers had ended up in this miserable hotel room in Mexico City, and Margot… she had ended up as a slave to a Goddess.

 _It should've been me._ He thought, staring his image in the mirror. _She should've taken me, to kill, to enslave to do whatever. It was my fault that bitch Connelly ever got so far with her plans, and here we are now._

"John, are you alright?" a voice from the hotel room interrupted his thoughts. That was Abe, with whom Myers shared a room. He must've caught his moods through the door.

"Yeah, fine." he forced himself to reply. "I'll be there in a minute."

And then, again, Margot's voice in his heart, in his soul, in his ears, in his mind, an endless echo that gave him no peace.

 _Hold that thought. I'll see you in a minute._

 _Tonight._ Myers gave himself a last look in the mirror. _Just stay strong now. Hide the pain, hide the fear, forget it all for just a few more hours, and it'll be fine. You got this. Tonight she'll be in your arms, in your home, in the bed you'll make her yours-_

" _-all sweet and slow? I'm liking that plan."_ Margot smiled, and the memory made his heart break.

"Anyway you want, Margot." he breathed. "Just… please, come home with me."

* * *

A half an hour later, they met in Kat and Red's room - Myers, Kat, Hellboy and Abe.

"Myers, eat." Kat said, and tapped the bed by her side. There was a selection of tortas, a kind of stuffed sandwiches Mexican style, that Kat had bought from a booth on the street.

Not bothering to object, Myers took one, and forced himself to get a bite. Tomatoes, and some weird stringy cheese - it was good and Myers might have actually enjoyed it in any other circumstances. Now food was nothing but fuel, and it all tasted like ashes.

"Heard anything of Clay?" he asked, after the first bite.

"Yeah, still the same. They haven't returned yet." Red replied.

That made Myers nervous. They had left Clay guarding the building where the Goddess had rented a penthouse.

"And Kaye?"

"Nothing yet." Kat said. "He'll tell us when it's time. Just eat your food, Boss."

"I'm not your Boss." Myers said. "Stop that already."

"Sure thing, Boss." Kat grinned. "Just trying to lighten up the atmosphere."

"Christ, you're so much like Jay that _you_ could be his twin, instead of Andu."

"Hey!" Kat protested. "That's absurd! I'm nothing like Jay!"

"Yeah, right." noted Hellboy.

"Say what?" Kat snapped.

"Nothing, babe!"

That made Myers give HB an amused look. "Hen-pecked." he mouthed silently - making sure Kat didn't notice.

But just then Myers' cell phone rang, and he picked up immediately. It was Kaye.

Standing up from the bed, Myers walked to the window.

"Tell me."

"We've got a problem!" Kaye's voice sounded alarmed, and Myers felt his insides turning to a hard knot.

"What is it?"

"They're heading back, alright, but not alone. They've got a young bloke with them, a pretty one. He totally fits the profile of the victims. I think the Goddess is gonna-"

"Yeah." Said Myers. "We'd better hurry. Meet you there asap."

"Yeah, Boss." Kaye replied. "Gotta go."

"Hey, I'm not your Bo-"

But Kaye had already hung up.

Myers turned to face his team. He took a short moment to just look at their faces, and suddenly he felt emotional. This was more than his team, they were his family, and without a doubt, they would die for each other if it came to that. One for all, and all for one, if you liked to be poetic about it.

Expectantly, they all looked at him, Kat' suddenly dead serious, Abe's black eyes revealing nothing.

"It's time." Myers said.

"Let's kick some Goddess ass." said Kat, hopping to her feet. "All ready?"

"Yeah." said Red, checking that his Samaritan was at his belt. "You, babe?"

"You bet. No one messes with my best friend and gets away with it."

Myers was already at the door, the phone in his ear again.

"Contreras, is the car ready?" he said.

"Si, aqui estoy." a female voice answered. "At the back door."

He hung up, and went to the hallway, his team following right behind. Reaching the staircase, he heard Kat's fast and light feline footsteps, as she got to his side.

"Tell me again why we don't just teleport?" Kat snapped. "We're in a hurry."

"'Cause you're gonna need all the strength you got." Myers replied. "Besides, they might sense it. Safer this way."

"Myers, you sure about this plan?" she asked, as they hurried down the stairs.

He gave her a sideways glance.

"You came up with it, so yeah."

"But I-"

"It's a good plan." Myers stated. "I trust you, you can do it."

"It's not that I'm worried about."

"Then what is it?" Myers turned to glance at Kat.

"Just… don't do anything stupid, Boss. That's all."

"Still not your boss." Myers muttered. "But yeah, not planning to get suicidal if that's what you mean."

"John."

Kat's voice made him stop. She hardly ever called him 'John', it was always either 'Myers', 'kid', or 'boy scout' - or lately the super annoying 'Boss'. But never John. He turned to look at Kat, seeing the emotion in her golden eyes.

"Yeah?" he asked. "What is it?"

"We'll get her back." her voice was reassuring. "You know that, right?"

Myers could hardly make himself to nod. There was something in his throat, that made talking difficult, and he sure as Hell wasn't going to cry now.

"Yeah, okay." he managed. "It's just a job."

But they both knew this was a way more than ordinary job. Every job was important, but this was the matter of life and death - if they fucked this up, Myers knew life would not be worth living anymore. In silence they took the last remaining steps and reached the basement floor.

Myers turned to look as Red and Abe caught up with them, and then open the door.

The summer night of Mexico City was hot, even if the sun had already set, and they instantly felt the dry, burning air on their skin as they stepped outside. But already waiting for them, was a big, black vehicle, and a petite young woman, leaning on the car, smoking a cigarette.

"Buenas noches." the woman, a local agent called Ariadna Contreras, said. "Ya nos vamos?"

Myers gave her a nod. "Let's go."

Without further conversation Contreras stumped her cigarette and stepped into the car, on the driver's seat. They had gone over the plan so many times in the past few days, that no questions were asked.

As the car took off, to the noisy traffic of Mexico City, Myers reached for his cellphone. He went through his contacts, selected the number of Dr. Stefan Heinemann, and sent a text.

"Going in now."

After only a few seconds, an answer arrived.

"Bring my girl back. Godspeed."

Myers looked up from his phone, to the view from his window. Streets were packed with people, locals going on with their everyday business after the unbearable heat of daytime. Contreras drove fast, but Myers spotted marketplaces with flowers and all kinds of food, small parks where people enjoyed their supper tacos, and numerous small shops that sold everything you could imagine. The view was colorful and full of life, and sounds. The noises of the people, their laugh and their talk, the honking of the cars, the music of the restaurants, were muffled by the thick, bulletproof glass of car windows, making it even more obvious to Myers, that he was indeed separated from the real world.

" _I'll see you in a minute."_ Margot's voice in his mind.

Myers clenched his fists, to stop his hands from shaking.


	46. Part III: Blood, tears and gold

**Part III: Family Matters**

 **Chapter: Blood, tears and gold**

* * *

Myers wasn't sure what he had expected to see, stepping into the penthouse suite, but it sure as Hell wasn't this.

In the middle of the luxurious room, stood a young, shirtless, stunningly handsome Mexican guy - and he was kissing Margot.

He had pulled her near, his hands gripping tight on the curves of her hips, his lips hungry on her mouth, the kiss passionate and raw. Margot, wearing a skimpy, golden dress, was clinging to him, her fingers deep in his wavy, black hair, her petite form pressed tight to his bare chest.

A rage, pure and burning like a white flame, shot through Myers' body. Without even thinking about it, he was pointing a gun at the man's head.

"Step away from her, or I'll blow your brains to the wall!" he shouted.

"¿Ay, que pasa?!" the guy broke the kiss, and in a heartbeat the annoyed look at his face changed into a shock as he noticed Myers' gun.

"I said, step back." Myers hissed. "That's my wife you're grabbing."

The guy went pale, and his hands were off Margot in a second.

"I'm sorry!" he stammered. "No sabía que-"

"Shut up, and get lost." that was Clay. "Out, now!"

He didn't need to say it twice. The man didn't even stop to pick up his T-shirt from the floor, as he rushed to the door. Myers didn't bother to turn and look as he left.

His eyes were on Margot now.

Slowly he lowered his gun, and hesitating, took a step closer. But something in her eyes made him stop where he stood.

She looked…. alien.

Her hair was a waterfall of fiery red curls, that reached her hips, her form was still slender but it was somehow more curvy, even more feminine, and her breasts had definitely grown a cup size or two. But that wasn't what made Myers' heart turn to a lump of ice cold steel. It was the way she looked at him.

Her emerald green eyes glimmered in the dim light of the room, and they narrowed when she saw him. She tilted her head, perplexed on the sight of their guns, as if they were nothing but a curious interruption to what she had been doing.

And from her eyes, Myers saw that she didn't recognize him.

"Margot, it's me." Myers said, his voice hoarse in his throat. "It's me, John. I've come to take you home."

"Home?" she asked, tilting her head. She said the word like she didn't know it, like it had no meaning to her.

Myers felt his heart breaking.

"Yes. _Our_ home."

"I do not understand." her voice was alien, with a strange, exotic accent.

"It doesn't matter. Just… just take my hand, okay? Do you trust me?"

Myers forced himself to take a step closer.

"This wasn't the plan." said Clay on a low voice. "Where is the Goddess?"

His words made Margot's eyes snap from Myers to Clay, and then to a door on the other end of the room. Her eyes narrowed, and Myers knew that look all too well. She was sending a telepathic message.

"Shit!" Myers cursed, but it was too late. A flash of golden light filled the room, and Myers had to turn his eyes away. He felt a presence, a power that was unlike anything he had ever felt, like there was a thunderstorm in the room, the air pressure and the electricity making his head ache and the hair of his arms stand up.

He forced his eyes open, blinking a few times.

"I know you." a sweet, low, female voice said - a voice Myers recognized immediately.

Wincing, he opened his eyes.

In front of him, stood a being of gold and sparkle, too beautiful to even really look at.

She was Beatrix Connelly, and yet she wasn't. Just like Margot here was Margot, and yet not. There was something otherworldly about them both, that made it clear they were not human.

Gathering all his strength, Myers stood up and looked the Goddess in the eye.

"Yeah, I bet you know me." he breathed through his teeth. "I'm the guy whose wife you stole."

The Goddess made a laugh that sounded like silver bells, like strange birds in a wild jungle, like a wind on the waves, rain in the desert.

"Your wife?" she raised one of her perfect eyebrows. "That means nothing. She is my priestess now, and she will have everything she could ever want, riches and power beyond imagination. Is that not what you would wish for her?"

Myers glanced at Margot, who stood by the Goddess' side, still and silent like a living doll, her face without any emotion. He tasted iron, rage and fear on his lips.

"Only if that's what she wants." he rasped. "Have you bothered to asked her?"

"I do now understand your meaning." the Goddess replied. "But it matters not. I will not release my priestess, who brought me back to this world. She will serve me until eternity, and you must accept that truth."

While speaking, the Goddess had laid her hand in Myers cheek, her cool fingers feeling the line of his jaw, caressing his day old stubble. A soft laugh left her perfect, full lips, as her fingers traveled down, all the way to feel his collarbone. Myers gulped, feeling the electricity of her touch flashing through his spine. He felt like paralyzed, unable to move a muscle to resist.

"Get the Hell away from me." he forced the words off his lips. "There's only one woman in this room, who gets to touch me like that, and it isn't you."

"Oh, a feisty one?" the Goddess laughed. "I like you. I can see why you were picked out to be my first sacrifice. It will be a pleasure to take your life, to drink your blood and feel your strength in my immortal body."

She said it just like that, like it was an undeniable fact, and it left Myers no doubt. He would not leave this room alive. His only regret was, that he had brought his friends to die with him.

He glanced at Kaye, Abe and Clay, standing by his side, all three paralyzed on their feet. He didn't know weather they could see or hear what was happening, but it was clear that none of them could do anything about it.

 _But still, there were Kat and Red. If only they would-_

 _Don't think about that! You can't let Margot pick that from your mind, or all is lost!_

Forcing himself back to the moment, Myers turned his eyes back at the Goddess.

"Alright." he said. "You wanted to have my heart, then have it."

The Goddess broke into a smile, that lit up the room.

"Oh, now this gets interesting!" she said. "You would give yourself to me, of your own, free will? I can see the appeal in that. You must know, that a sacrifice given voluntarily, is worth much more than one taken by force."

"Yeah, I know, alright."

"Let me guess - the only thing you want in return, is the 'freedom' of your spouse?"

The Goddess walked to Margot, and laid a hand on her shoulder, making Margot turn to look at her. The blank look on Margot's face disappeared, and it was replaced by pure bliss. She looked at the Goddess, like a flower that turns to sun, embracing the light that gave it life.

The sight brought an acidic taste to Myers' lips.

"Yes. Release her. My life for hers."

He took a step forward, surprised that he could actually move. Slowly he raised his hands to his sides, offering himself to the Goddess.

" _Diversion. A good one, to get the Goddess distracted."_ he heard Kat's voice in the back of her mind. " _Something to give me a moment-"_

 _Fuck! Don't go there, don't think about that! Stay focused, damn it!_

 _A Diversion._

He kept his eyes fixed on Margot, on her sweet face, those eyes that had smiled every time she saw him, those lips that had said the words 'I love you', oh, so many times.

 _A diversion. But so what, if it works too well? So what if I die here now? I will gladly give my life for her._

"So, how is it gonna be?" he asked, his voice thick, and raspy in his throat. "Will you accept my offer?"

The Goddess turned her golden eyes to his, and they were like a deep well of secrets and power he knew nothing about.

"You fool." the Goddess said, her voice sad and cold as an obsidian knife. "Even freely given, your life is still worthless. You are just a man, and I can get any man I want to, and have their hearts and their blood at my will. But nothing could replace the priestess I have. She is one of a kind, and she will be mine till the end of this world."

A strange sense of calmness descended on Myers, following her words. His voice was cool and calm when he answered.

"No way in Hell will I accept that."

He took his gun, and pulled the trigger.

The sound of the gun ripped through the air, but the bullet disappeared - and turned into a small hummingbird. The green feathers of it's wings glimmered with the shades of gold and emerald, as it flew to the Goddess, and softly landed on her shoulder.

"I learnt from the mistake of my late priestess." The Goddess stated calmly. "Your bullets cannot hurt me. But I am offended, that you tried."

She turned her back at Myers, and walked to a large, canopy bed, and took a seat.

"Kill them." she said, turning her golden eyes to Margot. "Start with the beautiful one. I am hungry, and I want his heart."

Margot didn't reply, but with a wave of her hand, she threw them all to the wall.

Damn, her powers had gotten strong! Myers tried to fight, but he could not move a muscle.

"Margot, no!" he yelped. "Come on, don't do this! Don't listen to that- aaaagh!"

His sentence was interrupted by a violent spurge of burning pain that struck through his core.

Margot held him in her iron grasp, clenching her fist she glued his back to the wall. Myers felt the air leaving his lungs, as she squeezed them, and he couldn't speak anymore. From the corner of his eye he saw Abe, struggling to move, to breathe, and Kaye on his other side, desperately trying to reach for his gun, that too, was stuck to the wall, but outside of his grasp.

Inside the cage of his ribs, Myers felt Margot's mind, searching for his heart.

It felt like burning iron claws, digging into his flesh, and he couldn't help but to cry out, the excruciating pain cutting through his flesh.

"Aaaaaarggh…!" he groaned, panting now. He felt a few ribs breaking, with a sickening snap, and the pain shot through his mind like an arrow of fire.

"Agh! Margot, please…! Remember… me…!" he breathed through his teeth, staring Margot in the eye. "I... love… you!"

But this was not Margot. This was not the woman who had loved him, held him near to her naked body, in her arms, the woman who had given him purpose, who had saved his life, who had said 'I do' for sickness and health, for richer and poorer, till death do us part. This was not the Margot who had taken his hand to make out with him in the wedding, the Margot who had kissed him so, that he went weak in the knees, who had held his heart with her mind to bring him back from the dead.

There was nothing left of her, nothing but fire and flame, and Myers felt her burning claws in his heart now, clenching it tight, and he knew he would die. His heart raced, desperately, the pulse uneven, weakening - and darkness crept in the edges of his vision, he couldn't hear anymore, he was falling, falling-

And then, a bamf of blue smoke, a flash of something that moved too fast to see. A splash of blood, a sickening sound of flesh being torn apart - and Myers felt being released. Gasping for air he fell to the floor, to his knees, trying hard not to black out as his tortured heart tried to steady it's pace.

 _Kat, Christ! Finally!_

"You alright, Myers?" he heard Hellboy's voice and felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Ungh… yeah." he managed. "Broke a rib or two."

He tried to force his eyes open, even if the world was still spinning. He noticed Kaye, Clay and Abe on the floor too, all gasping for air, but otherwise fine.

"Fuck! Red, help!" he heard Kat's voice through the haze.

On the bed the Goddess lay dead - a huge hole in her chest, revealing the fact her heart had been ripped out. Her head was twisted on an unnatural angle, her neck broken. Kat's arms were covered in blood up to her elbows.

But that wasn't the reason for the panic in her voice. She wasn't looking at the Goddess, but at something else, and Myers turned to see.

On the floor, a petite figure, her red hair forming a halo around her fragile body. She lay on her side, her arms and legs limp, her eyes lifelessly staring at the wall - and suddenly it hit Myers, through his foggy sight, through the pain of his body and his struggling heart.

Margot was dead.


	47. Part III: Something worth living for

**Part III: Family Matters**

 **Chapter: Something worth living for**

* * *

Margot was dead.

The thought hit Myers like a wrecking ball, destructing everything, every inch of his world shattered to pieces on the sight of her lifeless body.

"No….!" the groan left him, a raw and desperate animal sound. "Christ, no…!"

He was by her side in a heartbeat, grabbing her slender shoulders, with his bare hands, touching her skin - to feel nothing. No hint of the electricity that always surrounded her, no trace of the contact that always tugged him within her mind when they touched.

"Help!" he cried out. "Kat, do something! I can't… I can't feel her. Oh, please, no!"

Kat was already kneeling by Margot's side, her blue, three fingered hand on Margot's neck, feeling her pulse. It left stains of blood on her white skin, but Myers hardly noticed.

After a few seconds that felt like eternity, Kat looked up to Myers' eyes.

"She has a pulse." she said. "Steady and strong - she's not dying."

A relief so fierce that it almost made him black out, washed over Myers. He breathed in deep a few times, to get his head back in the game.

 _She isn't dead! Sweet mother of Christ, she's not dead!_

"Margot." he breathed. "Hey, it's alright. You're safe now."

But there was no answer, she lay limp on the floor, as if in deep, deep sleep, and he still felt nothing when touching her. His hands were on her shoulders, in her hair, and he gently shook her to wake her up - but nothing happened.

"Margot, come on." he said, with a sterner voice. "Wake up!"

No response, nothing. Her lifeless, glass like eyes stared at the wall, not seeing a thing, and fear, like liquid ice filled Myers' bloodstream.

He looked at Kat, beginning to panic.

"She's not waking up." he breathed. "It's like she's... not here."

"Fuck!" said Kat. "Maybe I should-"

"No way." said Hellboy. "No more giving away life force, you hear me?"

"But she's my friend, damn it!"

Myers couldn't take his eyes off Margot's face. It sounded like the argument came from somewhere far, far away. The only thing he could see, was her beautiful face, her slightly parted lips, the high arcs of her brows, and her eyes… their empty stare chilling his blood. He laid his hand on her pale cheek, to feel the warmth of her skin, let his fingers gently brush the corner of her lips.

If he lost her, he knew he would die.

But if he let Kat sacrifice her life for Margot, what would it do to Hellboy?

He cleared his throat, trying to keep the tears from falling.

 _No crying, you're on duty, damn it! Keep your shit together!_

"Kat, don't even think about it." Myers forced himself to say. "Margot's gonna kick your ass if you do that daftness again."

"We cannot help her here. She needs medical aid." said Abe, kneeling closer. "We should take her away from here, right now."

"Home. Let's take her home."

"You go." that was Hellboy. "Kat, take Myers and Margot back to the base. I'll stay to finish the job."

Myers turned his eyes to Red.

"You sure?" he asked, glancing from his friend to the lifeless Goddess who lay on the bed in a pool of blood.

"Yeah, the guys can help me clean up."

"Sure." said Kaye. "Just go ahead already, Boss. You both need to get to sickbay asap."

Myers nodded, suddenly feeling the pain of his broken ribs again. He felt exhausted, like all life had been drained of him, and he didn't even bother to tell Kaye to stop calling him 'Boss'.

His eyes were in Margot again, in her lifeless, pale face, her blank eyes, her chest that hardly moved when she breathed, and a cold fear filled his heart.

The Goddess was dead, but at what cost?

 _What if… what if Margot never wakes up?_

 _What if I really lost her this time?_

"Just make sure that Goddess has now body she could resurrect to." he managed. "Finish it for good this time."

"Sure thing, Boss." said Clay, and stepped closer to the body who had held the spirit of the Goddess. "We'll get rid of her."

"Ready, John?" said Kat, her yellow eyes wide and serious.

"Yeah." he replied. "Take us home."

They both laid one hand on Margot's shoulder, and Myers held out the other one for Kat to take. In a blink of an eye, a loud 'bamf' and a cloud of blue smoke had engulfed them.

* * *

 **24 hours later:**

Myers sat on an armchair, his eyes fixed on Margot, who lay on the sickbed.

His broken ribs had been taped, but they still hurt, his head ached and throbbed of sleep deprivation, and he was more tired than he ever remembered being.

And yet, he could not sleep.

The doctors had said, there was physically nothing wrong with Margot. Her life signs were good, her pulse strong, her breathing fine… but her mind was not in her body.

Where it was, no one new.

Even Abe could not have said anything more than that. He had felt no trace of Margot's presence when touching her. It was like the Goddess had taken Margot's soul when she had died. At the exact moment that Kat had killed the Goddess - or more likely her vessel - Margot had went limp and fallen to the floor, as if her mind had been sucked out of her body.

Myers cursed in his mind, and rested his tired eyes closing them for a moment.

Yeah, they had known that Margot was working with the Goddess, they had suspected that she had been brainwashed to do her bidding, but none of them had guessed the depth of the contact those two had shared.

He blamed himself. The plan had worked, alright, but at what cost? The Goddess was gone, but they had failed on their mission to get Margot back. All they had now, was a lifeless shell of the woman he loved.

And if they didn't get her back, she would die.

Myers glanced at her petite form on the bed. Her eyes were closed now, but otherwise she looked just as she had on the floor of the penthouse suite. Totally lifeless, limp and without any sign of being conscious. Her hair fell to the pillow, her face was calm and pale, even the smallest of her muscles completely relaxed.

Myers' heart broke at the sight of her helplessness.

How long could they just wait for the miracle to happen?

How long would her body hold on like this?

The doctors had injected a cannula to the back of her hand, to keep her hydrated, but Myers knew it wasn't a permanent solution. He knew Margot wouldn't want her body kept alive without any hope of a real recovery.

But how could Myers ever say, that it was time to give up? To stop feeding her precious body, the one he loved with his every cell?

He knew he'd sit here, by her bed, the rest of his life, unless someone else did the decision for him.

 _No, not yet. Don't go there._ _Maybe she's just unconscious. Maybe it's just coma. Maybe she'll bounce back any minute now, sit up and smile to me, and laugh at me for being an ass._

But just then, the door of the hospital room opened, and Kat poked in.

"Myers, a word."

Her voice had a tone of command, and Myers didn't argue. He knew this had hit Kat at least as hard as it had hit him.

He walked to the door, and giving one last look to Margot's peaceful face, he stepped into the hallway.

Three blue figures stood there, waiting for him, leaning on the wall, their arms crossed. Kat, and… two Andus? Myers blinked a few times. No, the other one had to be Jay, but which one? It was impossible to tell now, for both of their faces were dead serious.

He cleared his throat, glancing from one brother to another.

"Good, Kat found you, finally." Myers said. "You're our-"

"-only hope?" the other blue guy raised an eyebrow. "I love it when you quote Star Wars, Myers. That's so hot."

Yeah, that was Jay.

Myers gave him a look, which miraculously shut him up.

"I don't know what Kat told you, but... We… we don't know what to do. The doctors say there's nothing wrong with her, but-"

"Yes, Kat filled us in." Andu said. "We'll do what we can, even if this is not an ordinary healing."

"Just… please." Myers said, his voice breaking. "Please, help us."

Andu placed his hand on Myers' shoulder. The grip of his three fingered hand was strong and calming, the look of his eyes told he felt Myers' pain.

"We'll start right away." Andu said, and without further conversation the blue twins disappeared into Margot's hospital room, leaving Myers and Kat in the hallway.

* * *

Jay took a long look at the pretty girl on the bed.

Yes, a pretty girl on a bed was a familiar sight to him, but this time everything was different. He didn't need to be told, this was not about fun, or sex or an orgy - this was about life and death. And contrary to the image he liked to give to people, Jay was actually the one with a good heart.

He knew it would kill Myers, if they didn't get Margot back. And he was prepared to do whatever it took to succeed - for Margot's sake, but for John's as well. For Jay really hated it, when pretty boys were unhappy. In fact, he thought, there should be a law against cute guys being sad. Myers looked so much better, with a smile on his face.

Slowly he walked to Margot, and laid his blue hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, girl." he said with a soft tone. "A rough day at the office?"

But of course there was no reply. Margot's face was like a doll's face - pale, perfect and motionless. Gently Jay moved his hand to her cheek, but no hint of her mind answered his touch.

He frowned, and looked at his brother.

"She's gone far." he said.

Andu nodded, his hand also on Margot's skin. "I don't think we can help her, brother."

"Probably not, at least not by ordinary means."

Andu gave Jay a concerned look. "What are you thinking?"

"I'll go in." Jay said, his eyes on Margot's face again. "I'll find her, and bring her back."

"No." Andu replied, and frowned. "I should do it."

Jay gave a small laugh. "Why, brother? It will be easier for me, because I've touched her mind before."

Andu shook his head, still not convinced.

"You will get lost."

"I never get lost!"

"You always get lost. You cannot even find home after a night in a pub."

"That's because there is beer. I'm sober now." Jay said. "It should help. Besides, I'll find back, following your voice. You'll never abandon me, brother."

Andu didn't reply, but Jay read his mind to know that he agreed.

"It scares me, when you're the sensible one." Andu said. "But you might be right - we have no choice. Try and find her, if you can, but be quick about it. The longer you stay, the harder it will be to find your way back."

"Don't worry for me, bro." Jay replied with a wink, taking his hand. "If I succeed, you'll owe me a beer."

* * *

Jay stepped into a forest meadow.

He glanced around, but there was nothing but woods behind him and he couldn't see the path that had led him here. It was night, the sky was dark with no moon, but only stars to give some light, though he didn't recognize any of the constellations. His dark blue skin blended into the shades, making him all but invisible.

There was a small pond in midst of the meadow, the water still and black, reflecting the strange stars as if there was another sky on the surface. By the shore, under a lone weeping willow, sat a girl, her long, curly hair loose, covering her naked form. She was hugging her knees, every inch of her body tense, her posture stiff.

Jay neared her, his silent footsteps almost inaudible in the quiet night. It was only when he was very close to her, that she noticed him, and her eyes widened.

"Who are you?" she gasped, fear and shock in her eyes.

"Hey, it's alright. You know who I am."

He gave her a friendly smile, and took a seat by her side, careful not to scare her. Her eyes were like the ones of a wild animal, and they pierced through his heart.

The grass was moist, and the coldness of the ground crept to him, but it didn't seem to bother Margot. The way she sat there, naked, the strange wind in her hair, made Jay nervous, though he kept it to himself. She seemed to belong here, and he knew he didn't. This place was not for the living.

Margot tilted her head, her eyes wide and dark. Her shoulders were rigid, and her whole form seemed to shiver with effort as she tried to remember.

"J… Jay?" she exhaled, barely audible.

He answered with a smile. "Yeah. Even this place couldn't wipe me from your mind."

"I _do_ remember you. We were... we were lovers?"

Oh yes, they had been indeed, Jay remembered that too. They'd spent a marvelous few days together some years ago - something he had hoped to do again sometime. But now there was Myers, and Jay knew it was serious. Margot had found the one, and he wasn't about to break that.

"We were." he admitted, with a grin. "But it was some time ago. You've moved on."

"How are you here?"

Jay shrugged. "I followed you."

"But this is not real. This is… I don't know. Am I… dead?"

"No. But you will be, if you stay here."

She was silent for a rather long time, her eyes dark as the water of the pond. Nothing moved in this strange world, but a wind that brought scent of flowers, long ago forgotten. Margot's hair moved in the wind, the long curls that hid her nakedness from his view, and sadness dribbled from her mind to his.

"I _should_ be dead." she breathed, her voice a thin whisper. "I remember. Not all, but some. Things that I did. The blood on my lips." She paused for a long while. "Too many dead, because of me. You shouldn't have come, Jay."

"It's easy to just give up, and die. I know. But you're not a quitter. You are a firebrand."

"There isn't that much fire left in me."

"Come on, sparky." Jay leaned to give her a gentle push on her bare shoulder. "I know you've got something to live for."

She turned her face to him, her cheeks milky white in the night, her eyes huge, her pupils dark and dilated.

"I… I loved." she frowned. "There was… someone."

"Dig a little deeper, sweetie." Jay encouraged. "You'll get there. He's a handsome guy, just look."

He reached for his pocket, and - miraculously - there was a photograph in it. Thank God for this place that reflected their imagination! He pulled the photo out, and showed it to Margot.

It was a Polaroid from their wedding, showing Myers and Margot as happy newlyweds, kissing under the palm trees. Myers had wrapped his arm around Margot's slender shoulders, pulling her near, and they were both smiling, like only those who are in love, can.

Margot watched the picture for something, that felt like a small eternity, her bare shoulders trembling slightly. She raised a hand, to let her finger trace the line of Myers' jaw, as if trying to remember how it felt to really touch him.

"John." her voice was nothing but a faint whisper. "I remember."

"He's a great guy, and he really, really loves you."

But Margot shook her head, hiding her face in her hair. Her hand fell, and she wrapped her arms around her legs, pulling them close to her chest.

"No, not anymore." she breathed. "It's too dark, the sun is gone and I have lost all. No one can love me now."

"Come on, John's not one to give up easily. He'll catch you, every time you fall."

Margot didn't reply, she stared at the pond her face blank, not revealing any emotion.

"You know, he made you really happy." Jay tried. "You told me so yourself. About the great kisses, and amazing sex, and-"

"But it's too late. Jay, can't you see? It is too late. This is the in between, and there is only one way out of here."

"Says who?"

"That's just the way it is."

"Baby, if you remember anything, you know we're both all about breaking the rules." Jay gave a her a wink. "That's why we made such a great couple! Just take my hand. Do you trust me?"

A small, wavering silence, but then an answer, light as the wind.

"Yes."

"Then, do you have anything worth living for?"

Margot hesitated, for a heartbeat, or for a year, Jay couldn't have told. Finally she turned her eyes off the black waters, to his face, and in them he saw a desperate plea, an ocean of fear - and a sparkle of hope.

"John." she breathed, her voice light as the wind. "For him, I'll go back."

"Cool!" Jay's grin widened. "Let's go home, sweetie!"

He took her hand, and in a blink of an eye, they disappeared.

* * *

 **I struggled a lot with this chapter, so all feedback is truly appreciated. Please, review - means the world to me.**

 **Thank yo,u dear reader,s for following this story this far!**


	48. Part III: Take me home

**Part III: Family Matters**

 **Chapter: Take me home**

* * *

Margot screamed.

She cried out like someone, who's being tortured, whose guts are being ripped to pieces, like someone who's dying.

But she wasn't dying - she was coming back from the dead.

Hearing her voice through the door to the hallway, her desperate, animal scream, Myers rushed into her room, not caring about Kat, who tried to hold him back.

Margot was in Jay's arms, clinging to him with all her strength, her fingers digging into his shoulders. Her whole form was shaking with uncontrollable sobs, tears ran down her cheeks and she wailed, her voice full of pain that shattered Myers' heart.

 _She's is back!_

Myers could hardly breath! A relief so huge it almost made him black out, washed over him as he rushed to her.

He took her from Jay, into his own arms. Margot didn't resist, she was like a child who let herself to be picked up. Her fingers that had been gripping on Jay's shirt, grabbed on Myers now, as if she didn't even notice that she had been moved from one man's lap to another. The grip of her arms around his neck was desperate, she buried her face into Myers' shoulder and her tears soaked his shirt.

He winced, his broken ribs sending a wave of pain through his core, but he hardly cared.

"Hush, baby." he breathed into her hair. "You're safe now. It's going to be alright."

"John…!"

"Yeah, it's me. I'm here, it's okay."

Her slender form clung to his chest, so tiny and vulnerable, his arms around her were strong, and he felt his heart breaking for her.

He held her near, and slowly her cries calmed down, turned into silent sobs. Tears still ran to her cheeks, but he let his shirt absorb them. Feeling them on him, made it all just more real. The fact, that she was really here. It wasn't a dream. Her tears making his shirt moist, her warm breathing on the skin of his neck - they were real, not a dream like a thousand times before.

Myers hadn't even noticed, but everyone else had left. They were alone in the dimly lit hospital room. The only sounds were Margot's silent sobs and the ticking of the clock on the wall. It was 2 AM, Myers noticed, but time had no meaning for either one of them.

He didn't know how much time had passed since the moment he had heard her scream through the door - minutes, or hours, but it felt like nothing more than a heartbeat. She was here in his arms, she wasn't dead.

He would get to have a life with her.

Gently he ran his fingers through her hair. Heavens, he had missed this! Feeling her hair in his hands, the softness of her curls that now fell impossibly long to her shoulders and back like a waterfall.

Her scent was different than the faint odour of roses and cinnamon that he remembered. There were orchids and spices in it now, but it was still her, even if different her, and he inhaled it until he felt high headed. Her fingers were still grabbing his shirt on his shoulders, digging into the fabric as if her life depended on it.

Maybe it did.

Maybe she had missed him just as much as he had missed her.

He wanted to kiss her, so much that his mouth watered on the thought. Christ, he had missed it! Her lips on his, her breathing on his mouth, her sweet and salty taste on his tongue.

Slowly he let his hand wander from her hair to her cheek, to feel her mind - but at the touch of his fingers, she winced and withdrew, her hands letting go of his shirt.

"John, no!" she gasped, hiding her face. "Don't!"

A pain that had nothing to do with his broken ribs, shot through his core.

"Margot, I-"

"Just don't touch me." her voice was a faint plea. "I… I can't. Not yet."

"Okay." He pulled her back into his arms, making sure he only touched her clothes and her hair. Not her skin. "Okay, I'm sorry."

She was silent for a long while, still quietly sobbing. Her head rested on his shoulder, and she was slightly trembling, like a small animal, a bird or a mouse. Myers laid his hand on her back, to gently caress it, to smooth her tense muscles.

For an hour or so, they sat like this.

The clock on the wall ate time with the slow rustles of it's hands.

 _I hope someone called Dr. Heinemann._ Myers thought. _And my family. I should call Sue, she's been worried to death. And Amanda. Though Andu probably called her._

That thought made him frown. He still wasn't quite sure how he felt about the fact that Andu and Amanda were dating.

But somehow it all seemed insignificant now.

All that mattered was this, Margot's slender form against his chest, her head that lulled on his shoulder.

 _I get to have a life with her. We're married, and we are together._

 _I'll never let her go again. Not ever._

"I feel tired." Margot's faint whisper broke the silence.

"You want to sleep?" he asked, still cradling her in his arms.

She shook her head, her curls falling to his hands.

"No… I'm scared."

"Don't be. I'll stay with you. I'll watch your sleep."

She made a small sound, a sob or something else, he wasn't sure.

"Not here. Can I… can we go home?"

Her words made his heart skip a beat. How much had he longed to do that! To take her Home, their home, their own rooms. The bed where they'd made love a thousand times, where he had proposed to her, where he had held her near and shared her dreams as they slept.

He'd get to take her back there.

"Sure." he said, placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head. "I'll take you home."

* * *

An hour or so later, Margot was sleeping peacefully in their bed.

Myers gave her a one, last look, and then stepped into the living room. Yeah, he was so tired it felt like his head was going to fall off, and he ached all over, but he still had something he really needed to do.

He walked to the blue guy, who was casually leaning to the wall near the door, not looking a bit like he had just mind travelled to the death realm and back. He looked every bit as cool and mellow, as Myers had learned to know him, with his 'too hot to handle' surfer style and the permanent grin on his handsome face. But for the first time, Myers suspected there was more than met the eye in him.

That annoying blue bastard had risked his own life, to save Margot, without a moment's hesitation.

That told Myers something about his character.

"You wanted to talk about something?" Jay asked, with a sly smile. "Or you just wanted to spend the night with me?"

Making a mental note, not to let Jay get under his skin with his rude jokes, Myers answered with a smile. He offered Jay his hand.

"Thank you, Jay." he said, looking Jay straight in the eye. "You saved her. I don't know how I can ever repay what you did."

"Nah, don't mention it." Jay gave a laugh, but took his hand nevertheless. "Besides, it wasn't me she came back to. It was you."

"What do you mean?"

"Just that." Jay said. "She loves you, man. Enough to come back from the other side"

A moment of silence. That was probably the most sincere thing Jay had ever said to him, and Myers felt suddenly moved.

"Yeah, but she couldn't have done it, not without you. I owe you, Jay. Whatever you need, just tell me. I'm in your debt."

"Whatever I need, you say?" Jay grinned. "So, how about a nice threesome - you, me and your pretty wife? When she's recovered, of course. Don't want to be a brute."

Myers froze for a second or so, but then broke into a laugh.

"Yeah, in your dreams, Jay." he gave a him a pat on the shoulder. "But seriously - thank you. At least let me offer you a beer."

"A beer, huh? Makes me feel like we're on a date." Jay said, with a wink, but Myers didn't take the bait. Jay could tease him all he wanted to. He knew now, it was nothing but talk.

They were on the same side. What side that was, he wasn't quite sure, but he knew he could trust this blue duracell bunny with his life.

"So… you're heading back home now?" Myers asked, handing him a can of bud.

"Nah, don't think so. We'd better stick around for few days, in case something unexpected happens with Margot. And your ribs still need fixing too. Besides, Andu probably wants to hang around for a while, you know, because of Amanda. It's hard to date a girl if you're in alternate realities."

"Andu and Amanda, huh? So, tell me, is it… serious?" Myers asked with a frown. He opened his own beer, and took a gulp.

"Ask them." Jay shrugged. "How should I know? But isn't everything serious with Andu? Amanda is the first chick he's had in decades, you know."

"Huh." Myers replied. "But yeah, I guess it's okay. Andu is-"

"-not me?" Jay raised an eyebrow.

"That's not what I meant." Myers said, his voice serious. "You're alright. I've gotten over the-"

"-fact that I slept with your wife?"

"She wasn't my wife back then." Myers shrugged. "But what really annoys me about you, is that you keep interrupting me."

"Sorry. A bad habit." Jay took a gulp of his bud. "Myers, go to bed. You look like shit."

"Gee, thanks." Myers said, but didn't argue. He didn't even remember when was the last time he had slept, if short naps in a chair by Margot's hospital bed didn't count.

Besides, Margot was sleeping in their bed as he spoke. And he had promised to watch her sleep.

"You're right." he said to Jay, placing his beer on the table. "We mortals need our beauty sleep. But hey…"

"Yeah?" Jay asked, sipping his beer.

"I'm glad you'll be around."

Jay laughed. "Seriously, go to bed. You're delirious!"

And with a 'bamf', he disappeared, taking the six-pack of bud with him.


	49. Part III: The Monster under my Bed

**Part III: Family Matters**

 **Chapter: The Monster under my Bed**

* * *

 **A few days later.**

Myers sat by the kitchen table with Kat. He was holding a cup of coffee in his hands, and the look in his face told Kat, that he wasn't alright.

"So, how is it?" Kat asked. "It's been two days. How's Margot holding up?"

Myers shook his head, and gave a desperate sigh.

"The truth? I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Kat was annoyed. "You always know what she thinks and feels."

"Yeah, before." Myers snapped. "But now? She… she doesn't let me touch her."

There was an agonized look in his eyes, one that made Kat suddenly nervous.

"You mean… that you haven't-"

"Yeah."

"You haven't touched her, at all? Since she came back? Not even-"

"No, not even the slightest touch. She doesn't let me."

Kat frowned.

"Damn." she said, taking a seat. "You have any idea why?"

Myers turned his eyes to his coffee. He looked miserable, which made Kat feel really bad for him. It had been the worst, that they had lost Margot to that bitch of a Goddess - but now that she was back here, and things were still like Hell? It sucked, big time.

"I think it's something that happened when she was away." Myers finally replied, his voice resigned. "She hasn't talked about it, not a word. And she doesn't let me see. I've tried… I've tried everything. She just won't open up to me."

"I'm sorry, kid." Kat said. "I didn't know things were this bad."

She had come by, of course, many times during these past few days. But every time she had been here, Margot had either been asleep, or she had been laying on the bed, looking pale and exhausted, saying to Kat that she just needed to rest.

And Kat had thought, she'd be fine in a few days. It was natural, that she was tired after spending two months as a hypnotized priestess to a crazy-ass Goddess. Not to mention the 'almost dying' thing.

But now Kat began to suspect, there was more to it, than she had thought.

"Maybe it's some kind of a post traumatic stress disorder?" she suggested. "Has she seen the shrink already?"

Myers shook his head. "No, not yet. She's been so tired, that I didn't want to force her. But yeah, you're right. She totally should do it."

"I'll call Dr. Sasson. She's great, or so I hear."

"Yeah, she is." Myers agreed. "I saw her a couple of times after getting shot, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. True." Kat had almost forgotten. So much had happened in these past, almost two years, that sometimes it was hard to keep it all in her mind.

* * *

Margot stared at the bathroom mirror, leaning heavily on the sink.

She hated everything she saw.

Her hair, it wasn't hers, it was too thick, too long, too different. Her breasts, the weird, large things on her chest. She hated the way they moved when she walked, and how she could feel them all the time. Nothing in her closet fit her anymore, even her favorite oversized T-shirts now clung to her chest making her look like a Victoria's Secret model.

Her face, pale and haunted, her lips weird looking, definitely fuller than they had been, her eyelashes long and dark as if she was wearing mascara, even if she wasn't.

 _She_ had made her like this.

The Goddess.

Margot shook her head to drive her image out of her mind, but it didn't work.

It never worked.

For the Goddess hadn't altered just her appearance, but she had changed her soul too. The true changes, those that really mattered, were like daggers in her heart, like poison in her soul and they never gave her peace.

The Goddess was in her head, all the time, in sleep as in awake, in her every thought, like a hollow ache. Or rather the fact, that she _wasn't_ in her head, not anymore. That she was gone. The Goddess had gone, and left her here, disfigured and damaged, feeling nothing but the horrible guilt and emptiness in her head, the feeling of… not belonging.

For she didn't belong in this place. Not anymore.

The Goddess had modified her, she had used her and made her something else than she had been. And then… the dying. It had felt like her heart had been carved out of her chest, and after that - the fall. Spinning into darkness. Into the strange forest, and the to the pond which's black depths reflected the hopelessness of her soul.

A foolish thing to do, to take Jay's hand and think she could live again.

A child's wish, nothing more.

It had been long time coming for her, the payback time. How many deaths did she have on her conscious? Too many to count, and other sins to add.

A child's wish, to think she could come back and continue the dream she had had with John.

There she should've stayed. In the darkness, alone, with only the wind and the willows to keep her company. Until it would have been time to cross the river.

 _You should be dead._

 _Who do you think you are? Walking this Earth like you had a right to do so?_

The image of the woman she didn't recognize as herself, stared back at her from the mirror. There was a mocking grin on her face, one that she didn't feel on her own lips.

 _You are a slut. You are a murdered._

 _You are a whore. You are a killer._

"No." Margot breathed, her hands shaking. "Shut up."

But the Margot in the mirror tilted her head and scorned at her.

 _Can't stand the truth? You killed them, all of them. Their blood is in your hands, priestess. Just take a look._

She glanced down, against her will, and a shocked gasp escaped her lips.

There was blood, dripping to the sink, dripping from her hands.

"No…" she gasped. "It can't be, I-"

But the image in the mirror laughed at her.

 _You thought you could escape? You can never do that. You can never be free._

Taking a hesitating step back, Margot lifted her hands. Up to her elbows, the were covered in thick, red liquid. Human blood, she knew. And in the sink, a heart, still beating - fresh and pure, just ripped from the chest of a beautiful young man.

Margot stared at it, feeling sick to her bones. Her breathing was shallow, her head spinned. Panicking, she leaned her back to the wall.

"This can't be real." she exhaled. "I… I didn't-"

 _But you did._

 _You did it._

"No!" Margot screamed. "Shut up! Leave me in peace!"

She clenched her fists, and the mirror exploded. Sharp shrapnel of glass flew around the bathroom, some hitting her, cutting her skin so that there was blood, but she hardly noticed.

* * *

Kat sipped on her tea, and watched as Myers glanced nervously towards the bedroom. She knew what went through his mind - now days he was always worried, when Margot wasn't in his sight. These past months had been hard on Myers, and he still didn't look like himself. But who could blame him? Losing Margot like that… it would have brought any man to his knees. To think of it, it might be a good idea if Myers spoke to Dr. Sasson too.

She made a mental note to suggest it to him later.

"So… you say she still hasn't told you anything about the things that happened during this summer?" Kat asked.

That was something, that made Kat very worried. If Margot didn't speak, it meant one thing only. That she had something to hide. And that was never a good thing.

"Not a word. And to make it worse, Manning's pushing me about it. He want's Margot to report to him, but how can she do that? She's so goddamn weak, she can't even get out the room!"

"Manning can go fuck himself." Kat spat out. "I'll never forgive him for giving up on Margot like that. Has he even apologized?"

Myers raised an eyebrow and made a snort.

"Manning apologizing? Yeah, right!"

But just then there was a noise - glass breaking. They both startled, and were on their feet on a heartbeat.

* * *

 _You should be dead._

Now there was no image in the mirror, but the voice didn't leave her be.

 _You should be dead._

She tried to cover her ears, to stop hearing the words, but it didn't help. It echoed in her mind, and there was no escaping.

 _You should be dead._

"Please, just… please. Don't."

 _Time for the redemption. Blood for blood, a life for a life._

"No… I can't!"

 _You should be dead._

"But… but what about John?"

 _What about him? You tried to kill him. You tried to rip his heart off his chest._

"It wasn't me. I didn't know who he was. Had I known, I never would have…"

 _But it was you. You would have killed him. Why would he stay with a woman who tried to rip his heart off?_

"I came back for him." Margot's voice was nothing but a faint whisper. In her heart she had already given up. "I love him."

 _Yes. But do you think he would love you if he knew? That's why you haven't let him touch you. You know that he'll hate you if he ever learns the truth! That it was you, who killed all those men. That he has been nurturing a monster in his bed._

Margot fell to the floor, hiding her face to her hands. She was sobbing now, silent tears falling to her cheeks. From far, far away, she heard voices, like someone calling her name, but it felt like the calls came from another reality. A dream, perhaps. There was blood in her hands, and she knew it wouldn't wash away, no matter how hard she tried.

"John, I'm so sorry."

 _He'll never forgive you. No one will, if they find out what you did._

Sobbing, she grabbed a piece of glass, stuck it deep into her arm and sliced.

 _Blood for blood._

"Aaagh…!" she groaned, and struck again, deeper, to silence the voice in her mind.

 _You should be dead._

The blood began to flow, this time hers, and it washed away the blood of the victims. She watched it in relief, the flow of her pure, red blood that cleaned her hands and her heart.

Again, and again she cut, until her hands shook and she couldn't hold the sharp, slick piece of glass anymore.

 _Finally._

 _As it should be._

She leaned her back on the wall, waiting for the darkness to take her.

* * *

"Margot?!" Myers called out, rushing to the bedroom.

But there was no answer.

The bed was empty, Margot was nowhere to be seen.

"Fuck!" Kat cursed. How come they had not heard, that Margot was up? She glanced around, to notice that Myers was already by the bathroom door. He tried the doorknob, but the door was locked.

"Margot?!" he asked again. "Are you alright?"

No answer, but they heard muffled voices through the door. Like someone was crying.

Myers banged on the door.

"Open the door, Margot. Now!" he commanded. His voice was tense and stretched. "Margot! Come on!"

Kat shifted nervously from foot to foot. Something wasn't right. She felt it, in her bones, like a chilling east wind that blew right through her.

"I'll get us in." she said. "Give me your hand."

But Myers had already taken a step back. He kicked the door with force, and it gave in, opening with a loud crack.

"Fuck!" he cursed, rushing in, Kat on his heels. "Margot, damn it!"

Margot sat on the floor, leaning her back on the wall, and everything was in blood. It looked like a slaughterhouse - the white floor tiles gleamed red, there were spatters on the walls, and Margot's pyjamas were soaked.

Myers went down on his knees by her side, grabbing her shoulders. His hands went to her hair, to hold her face, and feeling his touch Margot's half closed eyelids stirred. She made a faint voice, like a sob.

"Jesus…!" Myers cursed. "Margot, come on, stay with me!"

But Margot's eyes closed, and it was clear she didn't hear him anymore.

Myers was panicking, grabbing Margot like his life depended on her, his eyes wide with fear.

"I'm losing her! Kat, get help!"

"We need to stop the bleeding!" Kat snapped. She reached for a towel, and pressed it on Margot's arm. It got soaked of her blood in seconds.

Damn, fuck that stupid, stupid girl! She had managed to reach the radial artery, and even if Kat knew it was unlikely to die from cutting it, it wasn't impossible. She pressed the towel on Margot's arm and lifted the arm up over her head.

"Fuck, Kat! Can you get help already?!" Myers shouted, his hands still holding Margot's face. Kat glanced on her bluish lips, her bloodstained cheeks that were a way too pale, and did a split-second decision.

"I'll get us to the hospital wing. Faster that way."

* * *

Outside of Margot's hospital room, a bunch of gloomy people gathered to talk about what had happened.

"You could call this a habit." said Jay, leaning his back on the wall. "It's not that I don't enjoy being the hero, and saving damsels in distress, but having to get the same one out of trouble twice in one week? We should definitely get a raise, don't you think brother?"

"Jay, please." said Andu. "We hardly do this for money."

"True. Besides, when we don't get paid at all, we can't get a raise." He winked at Myers. "You think you could do something about that? Man's got to eat after all."

"Shut up, Jay." said Kat, giving him an angry glance. "He's not really the boss even if I call him that."

"He isn't? And yet he has the looks of a leader. The brooding, misunderstood and lonely-"

"This might all be a joke to you, Jay, but the rest of us are wondering what the Hell happened. You were the one who brought Margot back from the dead - you sure it went like it was supposed to? Because the Margot I knew, would never do something like this!"

"Hey! How am I supposed to know?" Jay defended himself. "I've never done that before! I found her and brought her home, end of the story. Sorry for not staying behind on the death world to check if she left her reason there."

"But, why?!" Myers spoke up for the first time. His face was pale, and blood stained, his voice shaking with emotion he couldn't hide. " _Why_ would she do something like this? You said that she didn't want to die, that she wanted to come back!"

"Well, yeah. But she did have a Goddess in her head." Jay shrugged. "That can be pretty confusing."

"Confusing?! You son of a... She fucking tried to slit her wrists!" Myers shouted, which made Kat give him a glance. Yeah, the emotion in his voice, was definitely anger - rage even.

"Her injuries are now healed." Answered Andu, always the diplomat. "Do not fear, John. She'll make a full recovery."

"Physically." Added Jay. "Her mind is still a bag of cats."

"Well, isn't that great." Myers voice was full of stabbing irony. "And let me guess, you can't do a thing about it."

"John, there are some wounds we can heal, some we cannot." Andu said. "Mental issues are out of our reach, I'm afraid. She needs other kind of help."

"Yeah?" Myers said. "Well, I've been trying to get her see a shrink for days."

"She's going to have to do that now." Kat said. "Or I'll beat the crap out of her."

"You do that." Myers stated. "I've had enough."

"Hey, where are you going?" Kat asked, but Myers had already turned his back on them, and was walking away, his hands stuffed deep in his pockets.

"Away from here!" was his grouchy answer.

Kat watched him go with a disbelief. Was she the only grown up here?

"Great!" she sounded exasperated. "Anyone else want to just take off, and leave the problem to me?"

"Nice how you address your best friend as 'a problem'." noted Jay. "Though I agree with you on this one. She's trouble."

"Jay, I swear I'll strangle-"

"Babe, calm down." Hellboy said to Kat, who was steaming. "Com'ere."

"Don't you 'babe' me." Kat snapped, but not too convincingly, for she let Hellboy reached to pull her near, and to give a quick kiss on the top of her head. Damn, feeling the heat of the strong, rock hard muscles of his arm around her, was enough to make her weak on the knees. She wanted nothing more than to cuddle closer to him, to let him kiss her and make her forget all about this crappy morning.

But she couldn't do that now. No matter how angry and hopeless she felt, there were still things to be done.

"Red, can you please go after Myers. The last thing I want is him doing something as stupid as Margot. He wasn't himself."

"Yeah, okay, I'll check on him. But you can't blame the kid. Margot pulled a shitty stunt on him."

Kat sighed. "I agree with you on that one, but she's still my friend. And I'm gonna kick her ass for this."

"Good." said Jay. "But don't go too hard on her - it's such a pretty ass."

Kat rolled her eyes. "Jay, thanks for fixing her - again - but can you please just shut up? I'm not in the mood of your wise-ass comments."

"None of us are." noted Andu. "But please, excuse me - I'll go and check on the patient."

"No, let me." Kat said. "I'll have to face her sooner or later."

Andu replied with a concerned glance, which was meant to remind Kat that he was actually a doctor, whereas Kat wasn't. It annoyed Kat more than she liked to admit.

"I'll manage, okay?" she snapped. "I'll call you if she needs more meds or something."

With that, she pushed open the door of the hospital room, and stepped inside.


	50. Part III: Suicide Watch

**Sorry about the delay, I have been super busy the past week, and I've struggled a lot with my writing...**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter, and please leave a review!**

* * *

 **Part III: Family Matters**

 **Chapter: Suicide Watch**

* * *

Kat sat on a chair, by Margot's bed, and gave her an icy stare.

"I get that you're hurt, I get that you're upset and that you feel like shit." she stated. "I get it. And nobody expects you to be just fine right away. But damn, slicing your wrists!? _That_ I don't get."

Margot could not answer. The words felt like burning coals, that got stuck to her throat, and she could not force them out.

No matter how hard she tried not to cry, tears would not stop flowing and moistened her pillow. Locks of her hair got stuck to her sticky cheeks and runny nose, making her look just as miserable as she felt. But apparently Kat's heart wasn't easily softened. Either she didn't notice Margot's tears, or she didn't care. Margot suspected the latter.

"You don't get to kill yourself!" Kat continued her lecture. In her human form, her face was pale, but now there were red spots of anger burning on her cheeks. "You just don't do that shit to your friends and family! Do you have any idea what Myers went through to get you back? What we all did? Jay went to fucking Death to bring you back, and this is how you repay us?!"

"I'm sorry." Margot breathed.

"Well, you damn well should be!"

"Is John… is he mad at me?"

She didn't remember it, but Kat had informed her that Myers had been the one to find her on the bathroom floor - and yeah, she felt bad about it. Not as bad, as she felt about being alive, but still, she saw Kat's point. She knew that what had happened, must've hit John hard.

"He's pissed, and for a reason." Kat replied. "You did a dumb-ass thing, Margot. I'm mad at you too."

A moment of silence, a rather long one.

"So, why did you do it?" Kat's voice was stern. "Now, spit it out, or I'll walk out of that door and I won't ask you again."

The thought of losing Kat felt like losing her heart. Yes, Margot had been prepared to die, but to keep on living, without Kat's friendship - that would be worse than death. Kat was her sister, her heart and her soul. Losing Kat was not an option.

But then again, talking about the things that had happened… Margot wasn't sure she could do it, even if she wanted to. She had done things, that were beyond words.

"You want to have tequila?" she asked, wiping her tears with her sleeve.

"Tequila?" Kat raised an eyebrow. "You serious?"

"Yes. Don't you remember? The one thing that helps with a broken heart."

"Huh." Kat said. "So one of those summers again?"

"You could say so, yeah." Margot sighed. She gathered her strength, and sat up on the bed, leaning on the pillows. "So, Tequila or no tequila? I've got a bottle at..."

She thought of saying 'at home', but suddenly it seemed somehow inappropriate. Did she still have a home? Or had she ruined her right to call it so? The thought pained her beyond words, and she could hardly breath.

Kat gave her a moment to gather herself, before answering.

"I don't think the doctors would approve."

"Fuck the doctors. I hate hospitals anyways."

"Fine." Kat said. "If that'll make you talk."

Fifteen minutes later they were sitting on the couch, of Myers and Margot's living room. They had shared the first glasses in silence, but now Margot was holding the other one in her slightly shaking hands, and it was obvious Kat was waiting for answers.

"Alright. Time to open up." Kat said. "So, what is this about? What happened when you were away?"

Margot glanced at Kat, at her stern face, that told her just, that Kat would accept nothing but the truth. But still she hesitated. It felt horrible to even think about it, not to say it out loud.

"It was me." She finally admitted. "It was me, who killed all those men. Not the Goddess, but me."

"Yeah, we figured that out. So, what else?"

Margot blinked a few times.

"You… you knew?"

"Of course. You were the priestess, and since forever it has been the priestess' job to cut out living hearts. It's hardly ever the Goddess herself, who does the dirty work."

Margot felt suddenly dizzy.

 _They knew. They had known all along! And still they came to my rescue. Why? They should've killed me. I am the monster, they should've put down._

"Does John know too?" she breathed.

"Sure he does." Kat shrugged. "He's not as stupid as he looks."

"Hey! He doesn't look stupid!"

Kat gave her a glance. "So you do care about him."

Her words actually hurt Margot. She gulped down the other glass of Tequila, feeling it burn all the way down. Her head was beginning to feel the awesome bliss of intoxication.

"You know I do. I love him."

"If you love him, you stop messing his head up, you hear me?" Kat snapped. "He's a good and honest guy, and he doesn't deserve this shit you put him through."

"Yeah, I agree." Margot snorted. "I'm a fricking nutcase. Kat, the Goddess was in my head for two months. I'm… I'm not the person I was. John deserves a life much better, than the one I can give him."

"Then get your shit together, Margot, for it's you he wants! He's chosen to be with you, and you should bloody well respect that."

"I just… God, Kat, I feel like I'm losing my mind. I saw things… in the bathroom."

The memory of the blood, of the heart in the sink, made Margot suddenly nauseous. She put down her glass.

"Then you get help. And you fucking accept the help you're given! You don't start killing yourself, you get it?"

"Yeah, okay, I get it." Margot resigned. "I'm sorry. I just thought…"

"You thought what?"

"That he could never love me after the things I did." she breathed. "That none of you could forgive me."

Kat was silent for a while.

"I don't know about you, but I'm too old to start finding a new best friend. I'd like to keep the one I have. And I don't really give a shit about what you did this summer. It's not important. I just want my friend back. We've been through some shitty times before, and if you let me help you, this is not going to be any different."

"Damn." Margot said. "That was some speech. I think I'm gonna need more Tequila, if you're going to keep that up."

"Don't worry, I won't." Kat said, and stood up. "It's about damn time that you talk with Myers. And I mean, really, _really_ talk with him."

Margot blinked a few times.

She'd have to tell John. And not just about the killings. About _everything_.

But what would that do to him, she didn't know.

"What if… what if he can't handle it?" she breathed.

"Oh, I think he can." Kat said. "He's your husband, remember? For better, for worse? He said 'I do' to that, and yeah, this is the 'worse' for sure, but he's the kind of guy who keeps his word."

Margot couldn't answer. The memory of their wedding pierced through her heart like a dagger, and she felt tears in her eyes.

John, taking her hand, the look in his eyes when he said 'I do'. The blush on his cheeks, the smile he gave, when it was her turn to say those words.

But the memory was bittersweet. It felt like years had passed since that moment, not just two months. Yes, it had to be longer than that, surely! It had happened a long time ago, to someone else. Margot knew she wasn't the same person anymore. And if John had any reason, he would divorce her.

Maybe he would now.

The thought brought Margot immense fear and sorrow, but she knew it was the probable outcome. For she hadn't told Kat everything. There were… things. Things she would only share with John, for he was the only one who needed to know.

But telling him… just the thought of it twisted Margot's heart. How could she ever force the words out of her mouth? How could he ever forgive her?

She let her fingers trace the white scar on her left wrist.

 _You should be dead._

* * *

Hellboy found Myers in the gym.

The place was otherwise empty, which was good, for there was something unnerving about the way Myers was beating the crap out of a punching bag. It didn't look like a workout, but a full-on assault - like he wanted to kill the thing. His T-shirt was soaked with sweat, that dribbled down his neck, his dark hair a mess, and there was a haunted look in his eyes.

Myers gave Hellboy an angry glance, as he entered the room, but didn't stop the beating he was giving to the poor bag.

"Kat sent you to find me?" he asked in between of two punches. "You my nanny now?"

Hellboy snorted, but didn't answer.

He knew that any wise-ass comment from him now, would no doubt lead into a fight with Myers, and that was the last thing he wanted. Instead he just walked to the weights, and began his usual workout.

It was fine, that Myers needed some space. He was mad, and for a reason.

These two months had been a living Hell for him, Red knew, and yeah, he had been worried for his friend. Myers had barely revealed any emotion, he had been more like a robot than a man, that only kept going for one purpose.

Hellboy had been there for him, as much as he could have. But it wasn't easy to help someone who wouldn't let others see his pain.

Now, glancing at Myers who was aiming fierce karate kicks to a training doll, sweat gluing his shirt to his torso, his mouth turned into a grimace - well, maybe it was a good thing Myers finally blew off some steam.

For some time, Red busied himself with his own workout routine, all the time keeping an eye on Myers. Time passed, a half an hour maybe, and slowly Myers' fierce punches and violent kicks towards the punching bags and the training dolls began to slow down.

"You done?" Hellboy asked, when Myers finally stopped, and began to unfasten his martial arts gloves.

"For now." Myers replied. He was still breathing heavy, his chest heaving.

"Good." Red said. He let the dumbbell fall to the floor. "You want a beer?"

Myers was silent for a few heartbeats, removing his gloves and stuffing them into a training bag, clearly pondering on his answer. But finally he made a small sigh, and shrugged.

"Yeah, sure. Why not?"

"Good decision."

Hellboy always kept beer in his locker in the men's locker room. First, because there were not many things he enjoyed more than a beer after a workout. And second, because this was the one place Kat wouldn't find them. She had a bad habit of trying to make Red drink less beer by drinking them herself.

He took out a couple of cans and tossed one to Myers, who sat down on a bench and opened it.

"So…" Myers said, after the first gulp. "Kat sent you?"

"Doesn't make me your nanny, though." Red replied.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I was… pissed."

"No problem. I get it." Hellboy said, and opened his own beer.

Myers was silent for a while, sipping his beer.

"I should probably get back to hospital." he said finally, looking down at his feet.

"She's not there."

"Huh?" Myers turned to look at him. "They let her go?"

"Nah. Kat took her to your place. Don't worry kid, she's not alone."

"Good." Myers' tone was bitter. "A suicide watch."

Hellboy didn't reply. What was there to say? It sucked big time, that Margot had done that dumb-ass thing, and tried to kill herself. But if he knew Kat at all, there was no way she would let that depressed redhead try that again.

"You know…." Myers said after a short while. "I'm not sure I can take this anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that… that losing her one time, was bad enough. But now I've lost her so many times that I can't even count. I thought I could make her mine by marrying her, to keep her with me, but… but-"

"Yeah?"

"But there is no end to it, is there?" he turned his eyes to Hellboy, the look in them agonized. "We are never going to get our 'happily ever after'. There's always going to be something, a new tragedy, a new horror, _something_ to take her away from me. And one day I might not be able to save her."

Damn, Hellboy hoped Abe was here. He was a talker, he would've known what to say!

"Well." Hellboy shrugged. "You knew from the start, that she was no ordinary girl. And still you hooked up with her."

Myers made a small chuckle. "Yeah, true."

"Come on, Myers. Life with her was always going to be a roller coaster ride. The only question is, do you still love her?"

Myers was silent for a long while, rolling the beer can in his hands.

"You know I do." he finally said, barely audible.

"Then you know what you need to do." Red replied.

Myers nodded, and gave a deep, long sigh. He finished his beer, and tossed the can to trash.

"Thanks for the beer, Red." he said. "And for the talk as well."

"Nah, don't mention it." Hellboy replied. "You going to be okay?"

Myers shrugged. "Well, I'm over wanting to kill everyone I see, so yeah, I guess I'll be alright - in time."

"You know, Myers-" Red said, reaching for the six-pack and taking another beer for Myers. "- it would do you good, to take some time off."

To his surprise, Myers both accepted the beer, and didn't tell him to shut up and sod off.

"Yeah, well…I had thought about it. About taking Margot on our honeymoon, if I ever got her back from the goddess, but now-" he shrugged. "I can't do that, can I? She's in no shape to travel. She needs to see the shrink, and I bet the doctors prescribed her some antidepressants or sedatives or something too."

"Still. You should take her someplace else. It would do you both good." Hellboy stated. "And seeing the doctor is no problem. You know, Kat can get the shrink wherever you are."

Myers looked up from his beer.

"You think she would do that?"

"To help out you guys? Sure."

"That's… actually an idea that might be worth thinking over." Myers stated. "I'll ask Kat, if-"

But just then there was a 'beep', and Myers reached to find his phone from his bag.

"Who is it?" Hellboy asked, noticing Myers' worried expression as he read the text.

"Kat."

"What does she say?"

"See for yourself." Myers tossed the phone to him. "She's a bit bossy."

" _At your place with M. Grow a spine and get your ass here."_ the text said.

Hellboy snorted. "Yeah. She's right though."

"I know." Myers shrugged. "I should get going."

Another 'beep', another message.

"What's that?" Myers asked, as Hellboy was still holding the phone.

"She tells you to bring chocolate."

"Women." Myers sighed and stood up. "Like chocolate's gonna fix everything."

"Hey, you can hope it does!"


	51. Part III: No Secrets

**Part III: Family Matters**

 **Chapter: No Secrets**

* * *

"Brought chocolate?" Kat asked. She had been waiting Myers by the door in the hallway.

Myers gave her a worried glance. "Where's Margot?"

"In the living room." Kat replied. "And don't you dare to lecture me about leaving her alone - you're the one who took off."

"She was in the hospital then, taken care of."

"Yes, by me." Kat rolled her eyes. "Hence, the chocolate. Give it to me, Myers."

Great, Kat was angry - the last thing he needed right now. But Myers knew she was right, which made it even worse, so silently he tossed her the chocolate bars he'd picked from a vending machine at the gym.

"Just let me in." he stated. "I'm not in the mood to listen to your lectures."

"Soon. I need to talk to you alone first."

Her tone made Myers worried. It felt like a lump of ice in his chest, and he sure didn't need any more of that.

"What is it?"

"This." Kat said, and tossed him a pill jar. "Andu says Margot needs to take one before going to bed tonight. And then one in the morning, if she is still anxious."

"Right." Myers took a look of the small jar, and then stuffed it into his pocket. "Anything else?"

"I called Dr. Sasson. She'll see Margot 8 AM tomorrow. Be there!"

Myers nodded, suddenly ashamed. It should've been him to take care of this, not Kat.

"Thank you." he said, raising his eyes to meet Kat's. "I mean it. I'm sorry I took off, I just-"

"Yeah, it's fine, I get it." Kat shrugged. "You feeling better now?"

"Somewhat."

"You know, kid, sweating in the gym might blow some steam off, but it's not gonna fix everything. I think you should see Dr. Sasson too. You've been through a lot lately."

Myers nodded. He knew Kat meant well, but he wasn't sure he was ready to share his feelings with anyone yet. Anyone except Margot.

"I'll think about it." he said.

"You do that." Kat replied, and stepped aside, letting Myers finally open the door to his home. "And call me the second Margot needs me, okay? Don't leave her alone!"

* * *

Margot was in the living room, just as Kat had said.

Her tiny, delicate form, crouched on the couch corner, her pale fingers holding a Tequila glass (he should've guessed), her hair a huge cloud of messy curls around her shoulders. She was wearing a hospital gown, her blood soaked pajamas probably thrown away. The nurses had cleaned her, but there were still lumps of dried blood in her hair, stains of it in her face and her hands. She looked scared and miserable, and he felt his heart breaking.

"Hey." he said, letting his training bag fall to the floor. "How are you feeling?"

It was as if she noticed him only then, her eyes turned to him and widened.

"John…!" she gasped, and was on her feet in a heartbeat.

He didn't know how it happened. He didn't know if it was her who ran to him, or the other way around, but suddenly she was in his arms, she was wrapping her arms around his neck, he kissed her, and their minds merged.

"I'm so sorry!" she breathed into the kiss. "I'm sorry, John, I-"

" _Never do that again!"_ he sent to her mind. " _Never! Whatever it is, whatever happened, we can work it out, together."_

She was sobbing now, her lips tasted of salt and tequila, her hands were in his hair pulling him closer, and he felt like falling, into the abyss of her mind that took his breath away. But it was nothing like it had been. It was an endless pit of sorrow and shame, and for the first time in all the time he had known her, he was afraid to fall into it.

He broke the kiss, but kept her face in his hands, inhaling her intoxicating scent of lilies and orchids and blood. There was something in his throat, tears burning in his eyes, and he could not stop them from falling.

"If I lost you, I would lose everything." he groaned. "I can take a lot, but that I couldn't take. Please, please, live - if not for yourself, then at least for me."

"You were mad at me."

"Yes."

No point in trying to deny it.

"I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Come on, how do you think you taking your life, would not hurt me?"

She was shivering, her voice shaking when she answered: "There's no happy ending with me, John. I thought my death would hurt you less, than living with me, after the things I've done."

"About that-"

"I know." she said, her lips brushing his. "I know. No more secrets."

 _No more secrets._

He scooped her into his arms, and carried her to the bedroom, to lay her down on the bed. On top of the sheets he spooned her petite form against his chest, wrapped his arms around her and their fingers entwined.

He could read her mind now, effortlessly, her fear, her shame, her self loathe - but he waited for her permission to dig deeper. To see the things she had wanted to keep from him, by the cost of her own life.

"No more secrets." he breathed into her hair, and felt how her grip on his fingers tightened. He fell into the images that swallowed him, and the room around them disappeared.

* * *

Margot is kissing a young, beautiful man in an unknown hotel room.

She's only wearing panties and of golden lace and a ton of jewelry with diamonds, that fall to her naked breasts, and the sight of her takes Myers' breath away.

But it's not for him, he knows. It's all for that other guy - or more likely, for the Goddess who is leisurely lying on the bed, just watching as Margot's making out with the man.

The man is dark haired and athletic, his shirtless upper body like a Greek statue. Margot's hands are on his chest, moving downwards, and he's kissing her like there is no tomorrow, his lips hungry on her mouth, his hands digging into the curves of her body.

Her fingers move to his belt, to open it, and the guy is now gasping, panting, as Margot's fingers find his cock and grip it on a way Myers knows all too well. She kneels before the man, helping him off his pants, and opens her gorgeous, inviting lips to him, taking him into her mouth with pleasure. He is biting his lip, moaning, his fingers grip Margot's hair tight, as she pleases him, and Myers feels like dying.

He cannot watch more, no, he cannot bear it! He closes his eyes, and praying not to see, he's thrown into the next image.

Margot, holding an obsidian knife, slicing open the chest of the same man, a smile on her lips. The man is screaming, but he cannot move. He's being held still on the bed, by an unseen power, his hands spread on both sides like wings. He's completely naked, and it's obvious he has just had sex. But his chest is open now, and thrusting her hand into his rib cage, Margot laughs, like a delighted child. Her eyes light up, as she pulls out the still beating heart.

Blood on her lips. Blood on her naked breasts, Bright, red blood, that falls to her chin and to her neck, as she drinks from the heart.

The Goddess, lying naked by the dead man, laughs as well. Her voice is like a wind chime, like an exotic bird, like the most beautiful music you could imagine. She accepts the heart Margot offers her, and brings it to her lips. But Myers eyes are on Margot. How she casually lays down on the bed, to run her fingers through the young man's hair, still admiring his beauty, even if his eyes now lifelessly stare at the roof. Margot doesn't mind. She keeps caressing his curls, as she licks the blood from her lips like it's nothing more than melted ice cream, and the sight of that makes Myers nauseous.

There's no way he can watch this any more.

No way.

"Stop it!" he pleads. "Let me go!"

And he feels like his mind is ripped apart, a horrible pain flashing through his brain - and then he's falling.

* * *

Margot had broken their contact. She wasn't in his arms anymore, when he came to, but sitting on the floor next to the bed. Her uncontrolled sobs twisted Myers' heart as he tried to get his head back to the game. He moved closer to her, got off the bed and sat by her side on the floor - not touching her this time.

He still felt sick, his head spinning, almost tasting the blood on his lips.

"No secrets, you said." Margot sobbed.

"Yeah."

What could he say?

He understood now why Margot hadn't wanted for him to see.

He wished he hadn't seen, for he knew he could never forget. There was acid on his lips, ice in his heart and he clenched his fists to stop his hands from shaking.

"I read the autopsy reports." he finally said. "I knew all the victims had sex right before they died. But I thought… thought it was with _her_."

He was silent for a while, but Margot said nothing. Her shoulders were shaking with her silent crying, and it told him what the answer to his next question would be. But he had to ask, nevertheless.

"Did you sleep with them?"

"Yes."

He felt like he'd been stabbed. All air left his lungs.

Yes, he had seen the Mexican guy kissing Margot in the penthouse suite, but still - he had hoped it was just a kiss.

"Jesus, Margot…!" he groaned, hiding his face to his hands. "Why?!"

"Because she told me to. You do not understand. I had no free will. I had no memory of my life before I became hers. The only thing I saw, the only thing I cared about was her. And if she asked me to have sex with a man, I did it. If she asked me to kill a man, I did it. And I did it with pleasure."

Another silence. Myers still could not look at Margot.

 _No more secrets_ , he had said. But was the truth really worth hearing?

"But why, Margot, why the sex?"

"She is the Goddess of water and earth, of creation and darkness, of fertility and war. She wanted their life and their death. Their seed and their blood."

 _Their seed and their blood._

"So what was your job? To warm them up for her?"

"Yes."

"So she could-?"

"Yes."

"That's just fucked up."

"Yeah. Don't you think I know that?" Margot's voice was suddenly full of pain, it came out thin and stretched. "I feel so… violated. She _used_ me. She used me, and I…"

She broke into a hysterical sob, unable to continue her sentence.

"Hey, com'ere." Myers pulled her under his arm, her head on his chest.

"I'm sorry…!" she sobbed. "I'm so sorry…!"

"It wasn't your fault."

"I should be dead."

Her words made a spurge of anger suddenly shot through his heart. But not anger towards her, he knew now. Anger towards that Goddess, who had stolen his wife, to use as a tool. Had the goddess not been dead already, Myers' anger would have burnt her to ashes.

"Stop that." he said, his voice stern. "Stop talking about death, you hear me?"

He turned so that he could take her face into his hands, to look her straight in the eye. Her emerald green eyes, surrounded by thick, black lashes were the same he had fallen into, almost two years ago, and he knew nothing else mattered.

"What happened was not your fault." he reassured. "Yeah, it was bad, and yeah, it's gonna take time to get over it. But you will. I will. I promise, it's going to be alright."

"You promise?"

"I did, at our wedding. For better, for worse - remember?"

"I do."

Her whisper, so full of hope and love. Her eyes, seeing nothing but him.

Myers pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her, running his fingers through her blood stained hair.

"Come on, sweetheart." he said, wiping the tears from her face. "Let's take a shower."

But his words made her gasp of fear.

"I can't… I can't go to the bathroom. There's blood in there."

"No, there isn't. I had someone clean it up."

That was the one phone call he had made before going to the gym. He knew there was no way he could've cleaned it himself.

"No, not my blood. Other blood. There was so much of it, and… a heart."

"A heart?"

"In the sink." she breathed, her face white with fear. "A beating human heart. In the sink."

Myers blinked a few times. Okay. Things were this bad. He suddenly remembered the pill jar in his pocket, and realized what it was for. But it wasn't night yet, and he sure as hell didn't want to give her an overdose.

"Hey, sweetie." he said, as if talking to a scared child. "Whatever it was, it's gone now. I promise."

"You promise?"

"Yeah. Just come with me, I'll take care of you."

"Okay." she exhaled, her voice so weak he could barely hear it. But she let him help her up, and walk her into the bathroom.

* * *

Myers shampooed her hair, gently rubbing her tense scalp. The water made her hair straighten, and heavy it fell to his hands as he ran his fingers through it. In silence he watched as the water, reddened with the dried blood, made a pink pool on the floor.

Margot stood still, slightly trembling, like a scared animal.

"It's alright." he assured. "You're safe with me."

He reached for the conditioner, and applied a generous amount to his palm, and massaged it into her curls - he knew they were a pain to untangle, if he didn't do this properly. It wasn't a time or two, that he had witnessed Margot's curses as she tried to comb her undisciplined mane.

Margot didn't move, but just let him wash her, her delicate shoulders shivering under his touch.

"Give me your hands." he said silently, and she did.

The soap bar was slick in his hands, as he lathered her. Her fingers, her palms, her wrists… he covered them in bubbles and the scent of rose, removing the dried blood that stained her beautiful ivory skin. The pink foam was rinsed away, and with it, at least a part of Myers' pain.

The horrible wounds were gone, only pale scars and white skin on their place.

As if it hadn't been this morning, but years ago, that he had seen her blood pouring out of her veins, in this very room.

But his thoughts startled Margot, and seeing the image in his mind, she gasped and winced. Her eyes, like the ones of a frightened deer, were huge and filled with agony, as she looked down to the drain.

"I know it's water, but all I can see is blood."

"The wounds are closed." Myers reassured. "Jay and Andu healed you, remember?"

"Not my blood. Not mine... " she was sobbing. "Of the people I killed."

"Then close your eyes, honey." he said, keeping his voice calm. "Close your eyes, and think of pretty things."

"Okay." she exhaled. "Okay, John."

He lathered her body now, gently and carefully, avoiding fast movements. He felt her heartbeat steadying, her breathing slowly calming down. His hands found her beautiful breasts - their nipples hardened under his touch, and she made a soft gasp. Downwards, to her sharp hip bones, to the curves of her hips.

He knelt on the floor before her, and took one of her petite feet to his hands, washed it gently, every little toe, and then placed it back to the floor, repeating the same with her other foot.

"John you don't need to do this." she whispered, placing her hand on his shoulder.

He looked up to her face, to her closed eyes, to her rosy cheeks and his heart skipped a beat.

"But I want to." he replied. "I missed… touching you."

The emotion got stuck to his throat, and he felt his cheeks blushing, but her hands were in his hair, and she pulled him closer, his cheek on the softness of her belly.

He let his hands move to the small of her back, to her backside that was slick of soap and conditioner and her body bent against him, her hands were in his hair and and he could easily read her mind.

She was glowing under his touch, drinking his closeness like it was medicine that made her better. His lips tasted the skin of her belly, the rosy scent of the soap making him high headed, his kisses trailing the arch of her hipbones.

Her body responded to him, even now, even if she was that broken inside.

His hands on her were tender and soft, rinsing off the soap, caressing the trembling muscles of her lower back. He read her mind while touching her, the deep, restless ocean of fear and horror, that constantly tried to gore through her conscious mind. But also her thoughts, how she desperately tried to hang on to him, to this moment, not be swept away with the waves of the memories she tried to keep under control.

She was still keeping her eyes shut, and in her mind, there was blood and fear.

"Think about the first time we met." he murmured, standing up again. "Think of the summer of Brussels. Your birthday party."

His hands were in her hair now, rinsing off the conditioner. She made a small sigh, and he felt her absorbing the images he sent to her.

"You brought me roses." she whispered.

"Uhhuh." he nodded. Her hair fell to his hands, to her shoulders, reaching all the way to her thighs. It was heavy, soaked with water, slick and warm. Gently he massaged her scalp, to release the tension.

"And the suit." Margot breathed. "The Massimo Dutti."

"Still remember it?"

"Always."

She turned around, to wrap her slender arms around his waist, pressing her breasts tight against his chest. He couldn't help it, the stir of arousal that had been lurking nearby for a while, shot through his core, and made a soft moan escape his lips.

He remembered all too well all the lustful moments they'd spent in this bathroom, all the times he had pushed her against that wall and made her come like-

 _Christ, stop thinking about that! Now is_ _ **not**_ _the time._

But she was just so tiny and so soft in his arms, and he had missed it too much. No matter what he tried to tell himself, he felt his erection hardening.

Margot shifted, feeling it pressing on her hip, but she didn't seem to mind. The water that fell on them, was hot, making her skin slick and tender under his hands, and he buried his fingers to the voluptuous curves of her hips.

"How can you want me?" she breathed, her words a faint whisper on his shoulder.

He made a soft, hoarse laugh.

"Christ, how could I not?"

"But this is not…" her voice was strained, she hid her face to his shoulder. "This is not me… I am not-"

"Hey, this _is_ you. You hear me? This is you, and I don't care if you look different."

"You don't?"

"You know I don't." he breathed, his voice thick in his throat.

He bent down to kiss her, to feel her gorgeous lips on his, to let his tongue tenderly find hers, to taste the salty tears in her kiss. Pulling her closer, tight against his chest, to let her feel the hardness of his shaft pressing her lower abdomen, he let her read all that was in his mind.

That he wanted her, like never before.

That she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

That none of the things she had done, or how she had changed, mattered. He loved her, just as she was, and nothing could change that.

Oh Heavens, she was so tiny and vulnerable in his arms, her hands so inviting on his skin, the way her lips opened to him made him want to enter every part of her, that it was almost impossible to resist the urge.

He forced himself to broke the kiss. Her mind was like broken glass, full of sharp edges and pieces that reflected horrible memories from the past, and he knew it probably wasn't the best idea to fuck her senseless now.

Margot made a small laugh.

"Who knows, it might help?"

Her remark made Myers blush. Why did she always have to catch every little thing that crossed his mind?

"You were hurt today." he stated, wrapping his arms protectively around her slender shoulders. "I don't want strain you."

"John." she said, and made him look her in the eye. "I want you to help me forget. You promised me, in the wedding, you remember? That you'd make love to me."

"I remember."

"We were in the toilet." her hands were on his chest now, her fingers tracing the line of his collarbones, and he couldn't stop the light moan of desire that escaped his lips.

"Ummh, yeah, we were." his voice felt thick in his throat.

"You wanted me."

"Oh, I still want you."

Margot's fingers had found the scar on his shoulder, and stopped there. Jay had healed all that had been broken inside, but the scars were still there - pale, healed scars, not red and violent as they had been before.

"So many scars." Margot whispered.

She didn't say it, but he read it from her mind - that she blamed herself for all of them.

"Show me yours." Myers replied, and took her hands. She didn't resist, as he gently turned them around, to reveal the pale scars on her left wrist and lower arm, and her right fingers and palm.

He traced the scars with his thumb, the emotion getting stuck in his throat, making it impossible to speak. The tears that fell to his cheeks, were washed away by the water of the shower.

"There are more." Margot sobbed. "In here." and she placed her hand over her heart.

"I know."

"I fucked up."

"No, you didn't."

"I killed them. I killed them all, John, their blood is in my hands and I… I cannot-"

"Hush, hush baby, come here." he took her face into his hands, and pulled her into a kiss. Her lips opened to him, desperate, hungry, needing for him to pull her close and enter her mouth with his tongue. A shiver went through her slender form, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. The hot water that fell on them, made her skin slick and his hands found the small of her back, the sweet curves of her round backside, and a groan of need left his lips to her mouth.

His erection was throbbing, he felt every pulsing vein in it, filled with blood, needing to get inside of Margot.

 _Christ, it's been so long since- I can't even remember when was the last time we-_

Margot caught that thought from his mind.

"I know." she breathed into the kiss. "I'm sorry."

He could not answer. He grabbed her, and lifted her up, and she wrapped her slender, strong legs around his waist. With a desperate groan he pushed her back against the tiled wall, and she gasped as he entered her.

Slowly, carefully, not too deep at once.

But her body answered his need, her arms clung to his neck, her lips were on his, and he felt how his aching shaft slid deep into her sweet, slick heat.

Oh, Lord, it felt too good!

"John!" she breathed "John, please…!"

And he knew what she wanted. She wanted him to make her forget, to make her his again, only his from this moment to eternity.

But it felt different.

Her mind on his was unlike it had been. It was still heavy with secrets, haunted with sins and deep like an ocean of blood.

Her body felt unfamiliar in his arms, her hourglass figure with the full, gorgeous breasts - so different, and yet no less appealing.

"John…!" she gasped, feeling his thoughts. "Look at me."

Pressing her tight against the wall, his cock now deep inside of her, he stopped and looked her in the eye. She was still crying, tears falling to her cheeks, and there was love in her eyes, need, desperate longing - and fear.

"It's me." she breathed. "You said it so yourself."

"Yeah, it's you." he rasped. "I know. I love you."

"And I love you."

Her weight was light to support, his fingers grabbed tight on her heavenly curves, and groaning he began to move. Slow at first, but the way she wrapped her thighs around his waist, buried her heels to his backside, encouraged him.

The need in his bloodstream was like burning oil, and it made his heart race, his breathing raspy and fast. Her hands in his hair, her arms around his neck… Christ, how many times had he dreamt about this during these agonizing months? How many times had he woken up crying, after a nightmare, to realize that the bed was still empty and she would never again be in his arms?

Groaning he tightened his grip on her, letting her feel all his need.

"I'm here." she breathed into his ear, burying her face to his neck. "I'm yours."

"Never leave me again." he growled. "I can't-"

"Hush, baby." she sobbed. "I won't... I promise… ah!"

Her hips swayed, her thighs pulling him closer, their slick, wet bodies moved as one, the water that fell on his back was hot and he felt steaming. He was so deep inside of her, she was so tight around him, her fast breathing that fell to the skin of his neck was hot, and he felt like losing his grip to reality.

"I need you..!" he breathed into her hair. "I need to-"

"I know… oh, oh please, John, I-"

"-like this?"

"Yeah! Please…!"

"Fuck!" he cursed, feeling the pressure growing inside of his core. There was no way he could last long, he knew. No way, for she was so hot and she was here! Alive and here, and _his_ , and she wanted for him to-

"Please, please come inside of me!" she breathed into his ear. "I want you to come."

"Oh, holy-!"

He couldn't resist the plea in her voice, and let go. Groaning, he released himself into her, pushing so deep he saw stars in her mind. Gasping, she came with him, her legs cramping, her toes curling, her fingers digging deep into the skin of his back.


	52. Part III: Paradise

**My dearest readers, thank you so much for your interest and support. Special thanks to you Flint and Feather, and Anicaios, for your reviews - they mean the world to me, and I hope to receive many more from you. :)**

 **I'll be travelling to Japan tomorrow, and will be gone for about two weeks. I won't be able to update this story during that time. But please, don't give up on reading this. I'll be writing more when I return.**

* * *

 **Part III: Family Matters**

 **Chapter: Paradise**

* * *

Myers watched as Margot walked to the porch, her feet bare, the sea breeze in her hair and in the hem of her over sized T-shirt. Quietly he followed her, not to disturb. She gazed her surroundings, her face revealing nothing, but her posture seemed to relax, and she took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of the ocean that surrounded them.

The view was breathtaking. Their small, one bedroom villa was surrounded with palm trees, to give it some shadow, but in front of the porch, opened the beach, a small bay with white sand and turquoise water, and it was just for them.

Their own, personal paradise.

Myers had spent some time searching for a perfect honeymoon getaway, and this had been his choice - a tropical island on a remote atoll in Maldives. It had a dozen small villas, all with their own peaceful and quiet sectors of the beach, with no visual contact to each other. They could spend their whole holiday here, without having to meet a single person the whole time.

Now, standing on the porch, looking at the ocean, they could've been the only people in the universe. No sound, no sight, revealed the fact that in this small atoll, there were other villas exactly like this one, hidden in the jungle.

Myers gave Margot a moment to be by herself, and went back in. He walked to the fridge, and opened it, selected a couple of beers of an unknown Asian brand, and opened them. When he walked back to the porch, he noticed that Margot had sat down, and buried her bare feet in the white sand.

Still not interrupting the silence, Myers took a seat, passed her a beer, and she accepted it.

For a long time they just sat there, watching as the sun went down, and the sky turned from blue to pink and orange, as the sun dipped the ocean and painted the world with it's last rays. The wind was still warm, and the sound of waves hitting the sand of the beach was hypnotic, making time seem irrelevant. Myers didn't know how many hours had passed, but he had finished two beers by the time the sun finally disappeared and the darkness of the night began to creep to the sky, revealing the clear patterns of the constellations.

Her eyes in the stars, Margot finally broke the silence.

"This is a paradise." she breathed, her voice nothing but a soft whisper.

"Yes, it is."

A long silence, filled with the sounds of the jungle, birds, insects and bats, in the darkness.

The ocean had turned from turquoise to dark blue, the white foam of the waves, the only thing that broke the deep velvet of the surface.

"How long do we have?"

"As long as you need."

Margot made a small sound, that might have been a laugh. "Seriously. Who's paying for this?"

"Don't worry about that."

"But I do, worry."

Myers shrugged and turned to look at Margot. Her eyes were huge and dark, their pupils reflecting the darkness of the night sky.

"Alright." he said. "People who love you. Me, your dad, your friends, my family. Remember, we did ask money as a wedding present, to go on a honeymoon."

"So this is our honeymoon?" Margot asked.

"Yeah."

"Not quite as you had imagined."

He didn't reply - no point in denying the obvious.

Margot moved her toes in the sand, digging a small hole with them, letting the sand flow between her toes as she lifted her feet back up. She didn't say a thing, and Myers fell into the silence with her. But even if they didn't speak, the night was full of sounds. The relaxing rhythm of waves hitting the shore, the noises of the tropical forest, the insects and the birds, surrounded them.

"How long can we stay?" Margot asked after a while.

"Until you're ready to go back."

"And what if I'm never ready?"

"Then we never go back." he said, taking her hand. "Then we stay here, or someplace like this, for the rest of our days. I'm not taking you back, until you say you want to leave."

And he meant it. He would do everything in his power to make sure Margot was fine before even thinking about returning home. They could not stay here forever, sure, because it was way too expensive - but he would make something up. Work could wait, and so could Manning with his bloody demands.

"I don't know if I can ever do the job again." Margot interrupted the silence. "I think I've had enough."

"Why do you say so?"

"Because." she shrugged. "I always end up killing people. And I'm sick of it. I'd like to do something that doesn't end up with me ripping hearts out. Like pretty nails for people, or flower decorations to weddings."

"Then you do that. You open a nail salon if you wish, and I'll be as proud of you, as I am now."

"You think they'd just let me leave?" Margot asked, tensing. "I never even thought about it, in Europol… They only let me live with some liberty, because my Dad had vouched for me, and I'm relatively certain that even he couldn't have given me true freedom. I was only allowed to exist, because I worked for them. You think that BPRD is any different? You really think I could just walk out of the door, and they'd let a freak like me go and live an ordinary life among the regular folks?"

"Yeah, I do." Myers said. "If me, Kat and the rest have your back."

"Yeah… We'll see."

"No rush to think about that now." he said. "Let's take one day at a time."

"Yeah, let's do that." she said. "No rush in a paradise."

* * *

For the first few days Margot did nothing but sat on the porch or lie on a hammock, watching the sea.

She slept a lot, and didn't seem to have energy to do much of anything. It was obvious, that she was very tired, and needed the rest, so Myers let her have that. He didn't try to cheer her up by trying to make her go for a swim or for a walk - respected her wish for solitude and silence. Nor did he try and make her leave their villa to go for a dinner at the restaurant, but instead ordered in. She didn't have much of an appetite, though, and he had to push a bit to make her eat.

That was the one thing he just didn't give in. Margot needed to eat, no matter how reluctantly. There was no way he would let her starve on their honeymoon.

The other thing he insisted on, was for her never to be out of his sight.

Even when she was asleep on the hammock, he was her silent bodyguard.

He sat on the porch with her, reading a book or having a beer, not disturbing her, but still close by if she needed anything, guarding her sleep, protecting her from whatever might happen.

He would've enjoyed a swim in the ocean, a walk on the beach, some scuba diving or other water sports… but it was all out of the question. He just could not leave her, not even for a shortest of moments, for who knew what would happen if he did?

Myers knew Margot wasn't the only one traumatized. He felt the claws of ice clenching tight on his heart every time she went as far as to the bathroom, and he found himself counting seconds until she was back in his sight again.

She had promised not to hurt herself again, but he didn't trust her.

It hurt him more than he liked to admit - that the trust between them had been broken. Would it ever grow back, only time would tell. And would he ever stop being afraid? Too early to even think about that.

Maybe Kat did have a point by suggesting that he talked to Dr. Sassoon as well.

Myers sighed, taking a look at Margot's sleeping face. She was napping in the sun bed, exhausted after her one hour long session with the doctor.

Kat had brought Dr. Sasson here now two times to see Margot. That had been Andu's condition for their holiday - that Margot saw the shrink every day. And Kat delivered, not complaining, not making a big deal about it - even if Myers knew it wasn't a piece of cake to teleport someone to the other side of the globe. It must exhaust Kat, even if she didn't admit it.

"Don't sweat it, Myers." she had said this morning, when walking on the beach with him while Margot talked with Dr. Sasson. "She'd do the same for me."

It was true, he knew. That Margot would do anything for Kat, and the other way around. They were like the damn musketeers, one for all and all for one. He didn't know what Kat had said to Margot after her suicide attempt, but he suspected it was because of Kat and not because of him, that Margot had decided to live.

Not that it was a competition.

He was lucky that his wife had a friend like Kat.

He just hoped that whatever Margot talked with Dr. Sasson, would soon begin to help. It had been now four days since she had tried to take her life, and he still didn't see any change in her mood.

And she still didn't easily let him near.

It wasn't that she was pushing him away… it was just that she was barely here. It wasn't easy to try and cuddle with a woman who was either sleeping or crying most of the time.

The last thing he wanted to do, was to push her, but… they had not made love since the time in the shower, and it made him restless.

It was damn hard to be around her all the time, and not have her. And what made it even worse, was the fact that she was hardly wearing anything in the heat of the tropical island. He glanced at Margot, who was still asleep in her sun bed, in the shade of the palm trees. Her beautiful, slim body was barely covered in her skimpy bikinis, the shape of her breasts, the curves of her hips as inviting as ever.

He wanted her bad, and the fact that they weren't having sex, was eating him alive.

Maybe he was simple-minded, but he was fairly certain that making love would help to heal them both. Damn, it would no doubt help with this burning need in his bloodstream! And he knew it would help with the nightmares too.

He had had them every night since Margot had told him what she had done. Dreams, where he had to watch as Margot was having sex with someone else, and it felt like dying.

Yeah, with his conscious mind he knew, that Margot hadn't chosen to cheat on him. But it didn't change the fact that he was so jealous it felt like his heart was pierced with a flaming arrow. Just the thought of it made him want to start killing people, and he really hated feeling that way.

What he wanted to feel instead, was the feeling of making love to Margot, every way imaginable, to make her his again, and his alone. Until the things she had done would become nothing more than bad dreams, almost forgotten.

But clearly she didn't share his opinion on this one, and now, guarding her sleep under the palmtrees, he couldn't help but to wander how was this honeymoon going to turn out.

Would he be the first husband in the history of mankind, who didn't get laid on his honeymoon?

And just the fact that he let this thought in his mind, made him feel like the smallest person in the universe.

With a long sigh, he got up to get another beer from the fridge.

Margot had been right about one thing - this honeymoon was not quite as he had imagined.


	53. Part III: On the beach

**Part III: Family Matters**

 **Chapter: On the beach**

* * *

It was their third morning in the paradise.

Myers woke up to the sunlight that entered their villa through the curtains, to the sound of the waves and birds. He reached to feel Margot by his side - just to notice that the bed was empty.

His heart jumped, and immediately he panicked.

"Margot?"

He sat up, and glanced around, beginning to feel the fear in his bloodstream, the cold, iron taste on his lips. Margot was nowhere to be seen, but the door to the terrace was open. The warm sea breeze moved the white linen curtain, and sunlight danced on the floor tiles.

 _Christ, not again. I can't take it if she-_

He was on the door in a heartbeat, pulling the curtain to the side.

A relief, as huge as the ocean, washed through him, when he saw her on the beach.

She was only wearing her white nightgown, and her hair fell to her shoulders like a fiery waterfall, the rays of the rising sun making it burn like a flame. She was on the shore, on her knees, as if she was looking for something in the sand.

Feeling his thoughts on her, she looked up and raised a hand to greet him.

"John!" she called out. "Com'ere!"

And there was a smile on her face.

That sight took his breath away, and suddenly he felt like falling. His knees went weak.

The first smile he had seen on her face, since… Since the things he really, really didn't want to remember right now.

He walked to her, slightly high headed by the sight of her, and sat down on the sand by her side.

"When did you get up?" he asked. "I got worried."

"Sorry." she said, but still with a smile. "Didn't mean to worry you. I just wasn't tired anymore."

"No worries." he replied, and reached to pull her hair behind her ear. "You feeling better today?"

"Yes. I don't know why, but… yes. Look what I found!"

She opened her hand, and there were a few very pretty, pink seashells. He took one, to see it better.

"It's beautiful."

"Isn't it?" Margot asked, and her smile widened. "I want to find more, and make something of them. Like a pair of earrings, or a bracelet."

"Sounds like a good plan." he returned the shell to her, feeling the familiar electricity of her, that made the hair on his arms stand up.

"Yeah. It does, doesn't it?"

The wind moved her hair, the sun rays made her skin glow, and Myers noticed she was getting tanned and there were a lot more freckles on her nose and cheeks than just a few days ago.

"Is it just my imagination, or are you looking more like yourself?" he asked, after a while.

Margot shrugged. "Maybe. I noticed it too. My boobs are definitely shrinking." she paused, and gave him a quizzical look. "Hope you don't mind."

"I think it's great." he replied, and it was the truth. Not that she hadn't looked gorgeous with the 'enhancements' the Goddess had given her, but Myers had missed the old Margot. He had fallen in love with the girl, who had been everything he had ever hoped for, and that girl sure as hell hadn't needed any supernatural plastic surgery.

"I think so too." she was silent for a while, fidgeting with the sea shells. "You know, it is not just my appearance that is changing. It's more than that."

"What do you mean?"

"It's like… I can finally feel the Goddess' effect on me fading. Like I'm waking up from a dream."

"Or a nightmare."

"Yes, indeed." a dark shadow passed her face, and for a moment her smile disappeared. "But the good thing is, I am coming back."

Suddenly Myers felt so emotional, that he had to fight back tears. He clenched his jaw and blinked a few times, to be able to speak.

"I've missed you." he said, his voice hoarse. "I've missed your smile. It's damn good to see it again."

"Oh." she laughed. "I hadn't even noticed that I was smiling."

"I noticed."

He pulled her closer, to kiss her, to bury his fingers in the cloud of her hair, and her sweet scent of roses and cinnamon was back, it surrounded him and he could not resist it. The kiss was slow and passionate, and it left them both breathless.

When he finally let her go, her pupils were dilated and her cheeks blushed.

"Oh..!" she breathed.

"I've never seen you more beautiful than right now." he exhaled. "You know that?"

"Yeah, I know."

She leaned closer for another kiss, and he read her mind as their lips met. She wanted him, and the thought made his heart skip a beat. Christ, how much had he longed for this! He groaned, feeling the arousal stir deep in his groin, making his heart race.

But Margot broke the kiss, and made a small laugh.

"I'd love to." she breathed. "But Kat's gonna be here any minute now with Dr. Sasson, and I'm pretty sure they don't want to see us at it."

He made a desperate groan, and lay down on the warm sand. He wished with every inch of his being, that Margot would join her, and he could wrap his arms around her, to pull her into a kiss, and then they would-

"You know, it's a drink." Margot's voice interrupted his fantasies.

Myers was puzzled. "What is a drink?"

"Sex on the beach. It has vodka, orange juice, cranberry juice and peach liqueur."

He laughed, with her. "You want one? I can order in, after your session with Dr. Sasson."

"No, don't." she shrugged, and stood up. "Let's go to the bar and get one."

"You sure?"

He was suddenly serious. It was their third day here, and Margot had not left the villa once. He had begun to think, they'd spend their whole honeymoon like this.

"Yeah. I think I've done enough of moping around. We have lived, and now it's time to be joyful."

* * *

That day was the turning point in many ways.

It wasn't like Margot was suddenly healed from all that had happened, for a long time to come, she would still sometimes sink into depression and self-loathe, but it was clear that she had made the decision to get better, and she was fighting to do so.

That day, when she woke up and didn't feel tired anymore, she found the seashells in the white sand and saw their beauty. She felt the warmth of the sun, heard the sound of the waves, unlike before, and every inch of her soul ached to remember how it had felt to be happy. And she made the decision to get there again. She went swimming in the ocean, for the first time in their time on the atoll, and she laughed as the seaweed got stuck into her hair. And when the night fell, she was sunburnt, sandy and alive.

They had dinner in the restaurant near the sea, and for the first time in ages, Margot felt hungry. It was the healthy hunger that followed the day in the sea and sun, and she ordered a menu of three courses. From the look on Myers' face she could tell he was beyond happy to see her eating, and it made her feel a bit guilty. Myers had had to force her to have as much as a bite lately. It sure shouldn't have been her husband's job to be her nurse on their honeymoon, Margot knew, and took another forkful of her delicious fish stew in a coconut shell.

"So, how about it?" Myers asked after she had finished her dessert - a heavenly pineapple sorbet.

She looked up from her bowl. "How about what?"

"Sex on the beach."

Margot laughed. "The drink or the real thing?"

"Both, if possible. But as long as we're in the restaurant, the drink would do."

He had a smile in his eyes, the one Margot loved above all else, and it made her suddenly feel alive on a way she hadn't even remembered.

"Fine. I'll have one, but it's kinda girly, so you might want to look at the drink list."

"I'm man enough to order a girly drink if I want to. I don't care if it has a pink umbrella in it, or flashing led light ice cubes, as long as it makes you smile." Myers grinned, and raised his hand to call the waiter.

When their drinks arrived, they were just as pretty as Margot had hoped for, and the sight did made her smile indeed. Myers, drinking it with a straw, looked cute as Hell, and Margot felt her heart skipping a beat.

She took the little umbrella from his drink, and stuck in into her hair.

She knew there were a million things they should talk about.

Like the fact that she had slept with other men this summer, however unintentionally, and she knew it must hurt John. And the fact that she had killed those men, drank their blood, and felt ecstatic doing so.

Myers still thought she hadn't been herself, that she had been forced to do it all, and there was one more thing they should definitely talk about. For Margot knew better. She knew she _had_ been herself, or rather a version of herself. The version she could've turned into, if she hadn't been saved by her father as a child.

The dark side, and it's calling. Margot had been on the edge of falling many times, and now it had finally happened for real. She had let herself to be taken by the Goddess, unable to fight her power, she had let her erase her memories, her moral and her dignity - and turned her into the Margot she had always knew lived within her.

A monster.

Someone who should've been hunted down and killed a long time ago.

But she was still alive. She was on her honeymoon with a gorgeous, pure hearted guy who was mad enough to love her with all her flaws. She was having a drink with a little, pink umbrella in it, and she still felt the sun on her slightly burnt skin.

Instead of letting her die, her friends had risked all to save her. And that sure as Hell was one more thing Margot knew she should talk to John. It had been a stupid thing of him, to ask people to risk their lives to save her, and she was about to make sure he would never do that again.

But looking John in the eye, she didn't want to talk about any of those things.

She wanted to fall into the way he was looking at her, to the way he reached for her hand and their fingers entwined.

The 'Sex on the beach' was making her high headed, or maybe it was John, but either way, she felt her heart racing.

"I want to have the real thing too." she breathed, and felt her cheeks blushing.

"Now?" he asked, and let go of his drink. His pupils were dilated in the dark.

Margot felt the sweet weakness in her bloodstream, the need to have his hands on her skin, his arms around her body, his hips between her thighs, and it made her breathing shallow.

"Let's go already." she managed. "Time to be joyful."


	54. Part III: A Gift from the Goddess

**Part: Family Matters**

 **Chapter: A Gift from the Goddess**

* * *

 **Two months later, B.P.R.D. headquarters:**

It was now two months since they had returned from their honeymoon, and life was more or less back to normal.

More or less, considering the fact that Margot still sometimes had horrible nightmares (those nights Myers would hold her tiny, shaking body in his arms throughout the night, to keep her safe from her inner demons) - and the fact, that she still refused to do field work.

She looked like herself, and after two weeks in a tropical island, she was strong, tanned and healthy. Both Dr. Sasson and Andu had said, that she was good to work, both physically and mentally, but there was still something holding her back.

Myers knew what it was, of course.

It was the same thing that caused the nightmares: fear and remorse.

Even if she was better now, it would take ages for all the emotional wounds to heal. And even then, he didn't know if she would would ever trust herself again.

"I'm a nutcase and a mass murderer." she had said. "It's better for everyone if I'm kept deep in the dungeon." And as she was as stubborn as ever, no one could turn her head - not even Kat.

So for now, she was helping Dr. Broom in the library. That seemed to suit her well, and there was a natural agreement between those two Europeans, almost like a friendship, no matter their age difference. It was obvious Margot respected the old professor a lot, and valued the time she was allowed to spend with him. This was a different side of Margot, something Myers hadn't seen before, and even if he missed her by his side on the field, it nevertheless enchanted him. Sometimes he would just sit in the library with them, to see how Margot would bury herself in the ancient books, to find something long forgotten, using her powers to go through the books faster than any regular human could have. The peace and quiet, the silence, the telepathic conversations with Abe, the five o'clock afternoon tea with Professor Broom… that all was no doubt good for Margot.

Though Myers wondered, if this was a permanent thing, or just a temporary phase. Before the summer of the Goddess, Margot had had so much spunk and unchained energy, that it would have been impossible to keep her in a library for more than a few hours. But now? Only time would tell.

Just the other day he had had a conversation with her, where Margot had called her new post 'fighting the dust balls of evil'. Myers had made a small laugh to that mental image. Yeah, he was pretty sure that no matter how much Margot respected the Professor, she wouldn't stay in the library forever.

* * *

Myers opened the door of their small apartment, and stepped in.

"Margot, you home?" he called.

"Umm, yeah." a faint voice answered. "In the bedroom."

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Just a bit tired. I took a nap."

Myers checked the time - 5.30 pm, and frowned. It wasn't a normal time for an afternoon nap, and certainly not like Margot to take one in the first place, and immediately he worried. It was a bad habit, that one. It was still difficult for him to let Margot out of his sight, and every time there was something even a bit out of ordinary, he worried.

Myers put his briefcase on the table, and walked through the living room towards the bedroom, and pushed the door open. There, in the bed, under a blanket, lie Margot - and Myers' heart skipped a beat.

Damn, she was so pretty! Her cheeks were rosy, and she had the aura of someone who's still half asleep, and he felt an urge to join her under the blanket. To feel the warmth of her silky skin under his palms, the scent of her hair.

He cleared his throat.

"Hard day at the office?" he asked. "Angry dust balls to fight?"

Margot sat up, and pulled her hair behind her ears.

"No, not really. I left early, and…"

"And what?"

Margot looked up to his eyes, and there was something in her glance that made Myers suddenly nervous. Something wasn't right. He walked closer to her, and sat on the bed, laid his hand on her thigh.

"What is it?" he asked. "You've been awfully tired the past few days. Did you call Andu about it?"

"Yeah, I did." she avoided his gaze. "And I went to see a doctor."

"Okay? And what did they say?"

Margot blushed, and her fingers were anxiously playing with the edge of the blanket.

"That I… I'm pregnant."

Myers was silent for a few heartbeats, trying to realize what he had just heard.

"You… what?!"

"You heard me. I'm pregnant."

"But I-" he had to breath in and out a few times to be able to speak. "But you said… I… I mean, are you sure!?"

"I wouldn't tell you If I wasn't. Yeah, I'm sure, alright."

He felt dizzy, his heart racing in his chest.

Margot was pregnant! There was going to be a baby! A kid! And not just any kid, but their child. Once in awhile he had pondered on the idea that maybe there was a way they could have a child after all, like through adoption, but now… Margot was carrying _his_ child inside of her belly, and he was going to be a father.

That was fucking amazing!

And then a sickening thought hit him.

The baby's father.

He met Margot's nervous glance. She knew what he was about to ask, but he had to say it nevertheless.

"Who is the father?" the words left him, barely audible.

Something dark flashed in Margot's eyes, and her posture tensed.

"You are."

"How can you be sure? After the things that happened… Margot, you cannot know for sure!"

"It's yours, alright!" Margot snapped, her voice shaking with chained emotion. "It cannot be anyone else's. Last time I checked, it takes sperm to fertilize an egg, and I have only gotten yours."

"So when you slept with the… the victims, you sure they didn't-"

"I told you. They were for the Goddess. I didn't…" she blushed, a deep shade of scarlet. "They didn't come with me."

Margot's voice was thin and stretched, and suddenly Myers noticed she was trembling. She had laid her hands on her belly, a reflex, as if to protect the baby inside, and that sight suddenly hit Myers like a wrecking ball.

As if Margot needed to protect her child- no, _their child_ \- from him.

"I'm sorry." he breathed. "I'm sorry, I just-."

"I'm going to have a baby." she was sobbing now. "I'm going to be a mother! Me?! I'm so fucking scared!"

"Hey, hey, come on honey." he reached to her, and pulled her to his lap, wrapped his arms around her trembling body. She was crying now, and he wiped off her tears with his fingers.

"Hey, don't cry, I'm so sorry. God, I'm an ass, I know it, but please, don't be scared." he kissed the top of her head, gently caressed the small of her back. "It's gonna be fine. Better than fine. You're not alone in this."

"You promise?"

"Of course I promise. I'll take care of you, both of you. Always."

Margot was silent for a few heartbeats, and he felt how she stiffened. She raised her face, so that she could look him in the eye.

"Not 'the both' of us." she said. "The three of us."

Myers blinked a few times.

"The three of you? You mean, like-"

"Yeah. I'm having twins."

It took a few heartbeats for that information to sink in, but when it did, Myers suddenly realized he was grinning.

"Twins?" he laughed. "You kidding?"

"Nope." Margot replied.

"Like… two babies. We're going to have two?"

"Yes." Now Margot was smiling too, and wiping off her tears. "Two babies."

"That's… that's fucking amazing!" He laughed, and then her lips were on his, and she kissed him, taking his breath away.

" _I know!"_ she sent into his mind.

Her arms wrapped around his neck, and her lips were hungry on his. Myers felt the mess of her thoughts on his, the racing of her heart in his bloodstream, and it all made him high headed, as if he was intoxicated of her.

He let his hands wander downwards, to the curves of her hips, and instantly he felt a stir of arousal deep inside of his core. Christ! He had made her pregnant, his seed deep inside of her, had impregnated her. The thought was madly arousing, and he felt getting hard. He could not help wondering, which time had it happened - had it been the time on the beach, when she had wrapped her legs thight around his hips and cried out as they had climaxed together? Or the time on the porch of their villa, when Margot had sat on his lap just like this, and rode him into one of the best orgasms of his life? Or later, after their honeymoon, in this bedroom, on this very bed, when he had-

"I don't know." Margot breathed, breaking their kiss. "But the doctor says, I'm about 8 weeks pregnant, so it's more likely, that it happened here."

"But how? How did this happen? I mean, I know _how_ , but..." he made a small, nervous laughter. "You know, I thought we could never have kids!"

"I don't know, I really don't. The doctor said that it's like I've never been sterilized at all. The clips are gone, and everything functions perfectly fine."

He was silent for a short while, thinking about what she had said. A miracle. He had worked in the world of paranormal for long enough to know, that miracles rarely happened on their own.

"You think it's because of her?" he asked.

"I do. It must be. Another gift from the Goddess."

"Huh." he nodded. "Well. I never thought I would be thankful for something she did."

"Yeah. Tell me about it." Margot sighed. "But we really, really need to buy that house now. I'm not gonna raise my kids in a dungeon."

"Fine. We'll start looking tomorrow." he replied, and let his fingers caress the heavenly curves of her hips. "But tonight, we're not going to go anywhere."


	55. Part III: The Next Generation

**Part III: Family Matters**

 **Chapter: The Next Generation**

* * *

"I look like a whale." Margot complained. "A fricking beluga whale."

"No you don't." Myers replied, for a thousandth time. "You look beautiful."

But Margot wasn't easily convinced. She looked at her image in the mirror, and felt disgusted. With nothing but her underwear on (and gone were the skimpy, bright colored underwear she had used to wear), she could clearly see all the effects pregnancy had already had on her.

Gone was her slender figure, her tiny waist and the high arcs of her hipbones. They were replaced with something so different, that she felt like she was a prisoner inside someone else's body. A lot like when she had been 'enhanced' by the Goddess, except that then she had at least been beautiful. Now she was a whale.

"A beluga whale." she stated, resigned. "White, fat and enormous."

"Come one." Myers sighed, and walked to her. He wrapped his arms around her, laid his hands on the bare skin of her belly and kissed her neck. "I think you look sexy as hell."

"That's because you're a pervert." Margot snapped, but could not help but to smile.

"Yeah, but I'm your pervert."

"Damn you John Myers for being like this. For wanting me even when I look-"

"-hot as hell?"

"That's _not_ what I was going to say."

Margot rolled her eyes at him, but then turned around, to face him, and tiptoed to give him a small kiss. "Your innocent boy scout looks hide one hell of a sex maniac."

"Sex maniac?" Myers murmured, his lips brushing hers. "So, what do you say, I help you off those super hot, gigantic maternity panties, and give you something else to think about?"

"You _are_ a pervert." Margot laughed, but didn't resist as he pulled her into a kiss, his lips opening hers, his hands gently resting on the curves of her hips.

The kiss was long, deep and hungry, and it left Margot so high headed that she had to lean on Myers to be able to stay on her feet.

"To my defense-" Myers breathed. "-it's not the maternity underwear that turns me on, it's you."

"That's a relief." Margot muttered, and kissed him again, sending the next thought into his mind. " _For I'm going to burn these damn things as soon as the babies are born!"_

"Still about four months to go." he murmured, and his hand found her belly. Gently he caressed it, followed the weird, round shape of it, feeling the tight, stretched skin - and under it, the movements of two, living beings. Their children.

The babies instantly reacted to Myers' touch, and began to kick, which made Margot gasp and frown.

"Ouch!" Myers exhaled as well, feeling the sharp pain in her mind.

"Yeah, they're getting stronger by the day." Margot replied and rubbed her tummy, sending calming thoughts to her infants. "I have no idea how they'll fit inside of me for four more months! If I'm not whale now, I most certainly will be by the end of this."

But Myers didn't reply. His hand was still on her belly, and the movements of the babies turned slower and calmer. Margot stopped talking too, and closed her eyes.

It was the weirdest feeling. All of their minds combined, merged, together as one. John's mind so strong and stable, and full of awe, amazement and love. Her own thoughts, still a mess, like a puzzle with too many missing pieces. And the babies, their tiny, little consciousnesses that were still forming, still incomplete. They were like flickering will-o'-the-wisps in the night, sometimes burning so bright that Margot could almost make out the shape of them, but sometimes almost fading into the darkness.

"It's not just their kicks that are getting stronger by the day." noted Myers, and Margot opened her eyes to look at him. "They seem somehow… more awake now. Don't they?"

"Yeah." Margot replied. "You're right. God, it's so weird! Sometimes I can feel their minds buzzing inside of me like a beehive, and of course it's always on the night time, and I can't sleep…"

"I know." Myers moved his hands to her hips, to the small of her back. "And I'm sorry that I can't help you more. Once they are born, I can take care of them, and you'll get some sleep."

"Yeah." Margot rolled her eyes. "I'll get to sleep in four months. Yay!"

He didn't answer, but instead kissed her again, and feeling his lips on hers, Margot could not help but to succumb to the amazing weakness that washed over her.

 _It's more than two years now, since we first met, and still he makes me feel like this. I hope it never ends!_

His fingers were gripping tight on her hips, and Margot felt his breathing turning fast and shallow. She loved it, the way her closeness turned him on, even now, even if she looked like a hippopotamus. He didn't seem to mind the fact that she'd put on some weight, that her waist was gone and she looked like she had swallowed a basketball. He still looked at her like she was something amazing, touched her like she was the only thing he had ever wanted, pulled her near and kissed her so that it made her lose her balance.

 _Heaven help me, I need him so bad! I need him like he's the air I breath!_

She felt clumsy, and fat, and ugly, but the at the same time the pregnancy had made her skin hypersensitive to touch, her breasts aching to be caressed, and she wanted Myers on a way she had never done before. It was somehow a lot more primitive, more animal than ever, an urge she found impossible to resist. He had made her pregnant, and it was like her body couldn't get enough of him now. As if it needed reassurance, that he was still there for her, that he wouldn't leave her now that the job was done.

Whatever the reason, the need she felt every time he touched her, was enough to shake her whole world, to make her head spin and her heart race.

Myers knew that, alright, and made a low chuckle as Margot buried her fingers into his hair, and kissed him. He pulled her near, and she felt the evident bulge of his boxers pressing on her belly, and she gasped.

His rock hard erection, begging to be touched, to be caressed by her hands, kissed by her lips on the ways she knew would make him go mad with lust. Her mouth watered on the thought of it, and she let her fingers slide into his underwear, to find the wonder of his shaft, oh so hard, and yet so silky soft to touch.

He groaned, and bit his lip, as Margot's fingers gripped on him, but he didn't let her caress him for long. Determinedly he pulled her hand out of his underwear, entwining his fingers with hers.

"You sure you want to start this?" he asked, his voice hoarse and low, and just the sound of it was enough to send shivers down her spine. "There's a wedding to catch."

"The wedding can bloody well wait." Margot snapped.

God, if she'd have to stop now, she'd burst!

"Kat's gonna go berserk if we're not there. We _are_ the witnesses."

"Fuck, I hate it when you are right!" Margot swore. "Let's be real quick, okay?"

He laughed. "Okay. If that's what you want."

"Just stop talking and get on with it."

She let him guide her back to the bed, and by the time he removed her (gigantic) maternity panties, she was so ready, that it felt like fire inside his bloodstream.

"Christ, John!" she panted, as his fingers slid inside of her, his lips found her breasts that were hypersensitive to his touch. She felt his hot breathing on her nipples - a sensation that made her groan.

"Tell me you want me." he commanded, filling her with his fingers, her tight, swollen heat that begged him to have her, that was somehow even more sensitive to his touch than ever before. His caresses made her forget her clumsiness and her insecurity. All that mattered was the way he touched her, his thoughts on her, his need that equaled her own.

"Ah! I want you, oh please-"

She moaned as he sucked on her nipple, sending a wave of pleasure through her core. His arms were strong, his hands rough on her hips, as he turned her to her side, and spooning her, wrapping his arms around her, he pushed inside.

She saw stars already when he began to move. His every thrust was deep and hard, she felt so tight around him, so aware of every inch that entered her, like there was nothing else than this, nothing else but the way he opened her, slid inside of her, like her whole soul and her being was shrank into the small area between her thighs, and she had lost her will to speak, to think, to do anything but to succumb to this mind blowing pleasure that he was giving her.

The stars exploded in her mind as she came, screaming out loud. With some part of her conscious mind, she knew that John came with her, she heard his low growls, felt his fingers gripping onto her skin, the sweet, primitive pulse of his throbbing shaft deep, oh so deep inside of her.

Their minds joined in the climax, in the abyss of their pleasure, that became one.

* * *

Slowly she came to, her breathing steadied and her heart rate returned to normal.

His arms were still around her, and she felt him, still hard, inside of her.

Their heart beats had synchronized. She loved that feeling, and also the soft, heavenly afterglow of their lovemaking. It was like floating on a cloud of pleasure and happiness, so deep and profound, that she knew it had to be real love.

It didn't scare her anymore.

She had lost him, lost everything - including her will to live - the past summer. And she had overcome that, she had survived, and nothing scared her anymore.

They were together, and that was all that mattered.

"I love you." Myers said, reading her thoughts.

"And I love you, sex maniac." Margot sighed, contently.

Myers laughed.

"You're one to talk!"

"Mmmh." Margot cuddled even closer to him. "You'll miss my sex drive when I've given birth, my womanly parts are ruined for life, and I'm too tired and sore to ever even think about sex anymore."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Myers said. "I bet you can't resist me for long."

"So sure of yourself, are you?" Margot joked, and turned to see him. With a sigh Myers released his grip of her, and Margot felt how he slid off her.

"Yeah." he said, suddenly serious. "I think it's fair to say that we're crazy about each other. I don't think that even having babies will change that for long."

Margot rolled her eyes.

"I hope you're right." she sighed. "And I hope that Jay and Andu can fix me, if I'm totally ruined!"

"Not something that I want to think about." Myers muttered, and for once Margot did the wise thing to shut up. They had a wedding to catch.

* * *

"Who would've thought I'd get married!" exclaimed Kat, after the official ceremony, when they were having drinks in Broom's library.

"Me." said Margot.

"All of us." said Myers.

"About damn time." added Clay.

"What!?" Kat was genuinely surprised. "I still think it's an old-fashioned and silly habit, not much more than a piece of paper-"

Hellboy gave her a look, that did wonders, and she stopped talking mid sentence.

"Well, I'm happy for you." said Margot, and reached to give Kat a hug. "And no matter what you think about marriage - when people are as much in love as you guys are, and as devoted to each other, it's just the right thing to do."

"Besides, weddings are fun. And no one got kidnapped in this one." added Myers. "Though the night is still young. Hold onto your bride, Red. Take it from someone who knows."

"Don't worry boyscout, I will." Red grinned. "Never gonna let her go again."

"You'd better not." Kat stated. "I have no wish to become a single mom."

"Always the romantic." Margot laughed at Kat's remark. "So, how are you doing? HB junior giving you hard time?"

"I have no complaints." Kat shrugged. "Everything goes smoothly, sometimes I even forget that I'm pregnant."

"How is that even possible!?" Margot exclaimed. "I feel like I'm fricking exploding, I can hardly walk, and I'm only halfway there!"

"What can I say? I've had no problems so far. I only hope it continues like this, for who knows how long I'll be pregnant. Andu thinks it might be for year and a half."

"Yeah." Margot made a face. "At least I'm done in the normal 9 months."

She took a look at Kat, who did seem like the picture of health. Her blue skin glowed, she smiled the happy, light headed smile of a newlywed, and everything about her spoke of being on top of the moon. Her baby bump was beautifully round and small in her tall figure, she walked and stood with no difficulty. She was still doing field work too, something Red strongly opposed to, but Kat had kept her head, like she always did.

The only thing Margot knew to bug Kat, was the fact that she couldn't change shape during her pregnancy. She had to stay on her blue form, until the baby was born. The beginning of the pregnancy had been a difficult one - until Jay and Andu had told Kat that changing was the source of the problems. So, even if Kat much preferred her human form, in her blue form she stayed.

"You guys getting married, and having kids." Clay spoke up. "Makes me wonder."

"Wonder about what?" Margot, always keen to gossip, asked. "If it's Brexia you're wondering about, I can tell you she's nuts about you. She'll be sure to say yes, if you just ask."

"Yeah?" Clay scratched his hair. "You think so?"

"I _know_ so." Margot winked.

"Margot, just because we got married, doesn't mean everyone needs to do so." Kat reminded. "It's none of our business what Clay does with Brexia."

"Yeah." said Clay, blushing. "Besides, I can't get married! Who's gonna hang out with Abe, if I settle down too?"

"Yes!" said Abe. "I am awfully lonely in my tank these nights. And where are we going to find a bride for me? A damsel in distress, a maiden who's willing to give her heart to someone like me?"

"Don't worry Abe." Margot laughed. "We'll find a beautiful princess for you, I'm sure. Miracles do happen. After all, we did find Brexia for Clay."

"Hey!" Clay protested. "Like me hooking up with a girl is a miracle!"

"Take a beer." Myers said, and reached to get a few bottles from a nearby table. "And you too, Red. It's your wedding day, and I'm happy for you. Congratulations, friend."

"Thanks." Hellboy said. "Life's good."

And it truly was.

Margot leaned her head on Myers' shoulder, and let him wrap his arm around her. She let her glance move from one person to another, go through all her friends. Abe, Clay, Red, Kat, Myers and even old Professor Broom - the only ones Kat had wanted present in the wedding. They were more than friends, Margot knew. They were a family - brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, fathers and sons - and two soon to be mothers.

A family, a weird and extraordinary family.

Margot could hardly wait for the next generation to be born.


	56. Part III: Epilogue

**Part III: Family Matters**

 **Chapter: Epilogue**

* * *

Myers was sitting on Margot's bedside, holding a miracle in his arms.

Sean and Amy.

Their tiny, newborn bodies weighed so little, and yet the love that washed over him was bigger than life. He bent his head to give them both a kiss on the forehead, and inhaled their scent - a sweet mixture of milk, soap and cotton. Breathing it in, felt like breathing not air, but love, and it cut right through all his defences, past everything that had once been important, changing his life once and for all.

The babies were both awake, they stared at him with the amazing, blue eyes of newborn babies, with wonder and wisdom that made him shiver.

"Hey, little ones." he said, his voice raw with emotion. "I'm your dad."

"They know." Margot whispered. "They've felt your mind so many times, heard your voice for months. They love you already."

"Then they know that I love them too."

Myers turned to look at Margot, who was lying on the bed on her side, her face pale, shadows of the excruciating pain still in her eyes. He had never loved her more than on this moment.

She was a superhero, for giving him the most amazing gift a man could ever have.

"Try to get some sleep, you must be exhausted." he said. "I'll take care of the babies."

"I'll sleep in a minute." she breathed. "I like watching them."

"Yeah, me too."

He turned his eyes back to his kids, to their enchanting gaze.

He knew that in a minute they'd have to open the door of this room and let everyone come in, to meet the babies, to bring flowers and chocolate and balloons and happy wishes. Kat was probably pulling her hair already, and Margot's mom too, who had spent the past two weeks here waiting for the babies to be born.

But this was a private moment. The rest of the world could wait.

Sean, his baby boy. He had the red, fuzzy hair of his mother, that made him look like a little fairy, he had chubby cheeks and the incredibly soft skin Myers could not stop caressing. And Amy, a tiny little thing, smaller than her twin brother, her hair just as wild and thick as Sean's, but dark as night, her cheeks rosy and the look in her big, blue eyes sharp and concentrated.

They were a miracle, and already they held Myers' heart in the strong grip of their tiny newborn hands.

"I miss feeling their minds." he said after a while. "I can't do that anymore, now that they aren't a part of you."

"I suspected as much." Margot replied. "I can still feel theirs, though. But I think they might not be telepathic. At least not the way I am."

"We might not know before they grow up."

"Yeah, we might not." Margot was silent for a while. "But you know what? I don't care either way."

"I know." he said.

He didn't have to continue that sentence. They both knew what he had meant.

That with or without special abilities, their babies were perfect. They were heavenly creatures who had somehow descended to this world, for Myers to take care of and to protect.

And suddenly he saw the future in front of him - an ocean of uncertain fates, of unimaginable dangers and unknown destinies - and it terrified him.

"Don't be scared, John." Margot's fingers gripped on his arm. "We'll do it together."

And that was the only thing that mattered.

* * *

 **This was in a way the final chapter of this story.**

 **There will be a part IV, but it takes place 20 years after Sean and Amy's birth, so for now we will say goodbye to young John and Margot, to their happy married life, to all ups and downs they will have when bringing up the kids.**

 **I hope you take the time to give me a review, if you managed to read this far.**

 **I thank you so much, every single reader, every single review means the world to me. I am a person who's cursed with inspiration to write, a need to tell stories - but what is the reason to write a story if no one reads it? So you are the thing that makes me tick, you are the reason I keep on posting. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.**

 **And please, keep on reading! Part IV will begin soon. :D**


	57. Part IV: Prologue

**Wow, we are in the part IV! Thank you so much for reading!**

 **This part takes place 20 years after the latest chapter, and a lot has happened in this time - even if I haven't written it! So that you wouldn't be completely lost, I wrote a little introduction to the lives of our main characters. I hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

 **Part IV: Streamline**

 **Chapter: Prologue**

* * *

Things that happened in the past 20 years, and where are we now:

 **The Myers's:** Margot and John bought a beautiful, yellow house in Newark, near to BPRD to raise Sean and Amy in a bit more family friendly environment. The twins turned out to be smart, calm kids, who hardly ever gave their parents hard time. They inherited Margot's gift only partly, being strong empaths, but unable to read actual thoughts. Since birth Sean and Amy were inseparable, and even if they could not read other people, they shared each other's every thought and feeling. At the age of 18 they moved out, to Boston, where they study psychology (Sean) and physics (Amy) in Harvard. Margot returned to field work soon after the twins were born, and is still working in BPRD. John was made the director of operations after Manning retired, and Kat has too much fun calling him 'Boss'.

 **Kat and Red** : Their first child Eru was born less than six months after Sean and Amy. Eru inhertied his father's skin color, likewise his tail and horns. Some years later, another baby was born, a girl called Magrat (Maggie), who was blue like her mother, had a very long tail and cute, little horns. Maggie might have looked innocent, but she was trouble, and even more so as she grew up. After Maggie's birth, Professor Broom died of old age, which made grief struck Red and Kat gather their family and disappear for ten years or so (they moved to the alternate reality, where Kat's from). Now they have just returned to BPRD, Maggie is 14 and already physically grown up.

 **Abe** : met princess Nuala, they fell in love and nobody died. They got married, Abe moved to Farie to be with the love of his life, and they had a beautiful daughter. During the years Abe has visited BPRD numerous times, and whenever around, he still takes part in the missions.

 **Clay** : is still with Brexia, but they have no children.

 **Jay and Andu** : Andu married Amanda, and they bought a beautiful, green house near to Margot and John's home. Jay (of course) moved in with them. Andu and Amanda have always been very happy together, but they never had children of their own. John and Amanda's brother Michael (the handsome Jazz pianist) had a son, Jacob (Jake), who he was unable to raise because of his music career, so the boy ended up with Amanda and Andu. They raised him as if he was their own, in a house full of love and much needed discipline, with Jay spoiling the little kid as much as he could get away with. Jacob is now 16 years old, a handsome young man who dreams of a career in BPRD. Jay had a baby with Kendra the vampire slayer (from 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'), but not many people know about it.

 **Jack Daugherty 'Myers'** (John's nephew): After his difficult teenage years, Jack followed John's footsteps and graduated from Quantico. He started working as an agent in BPRD, and even if he officially had his father's surname Daugherty, everyone called him Myers, for he had a strong family resemblance to John (no more nose piercings). He later befriended Eru (who reached adulthood in the age of 8), and they worked as partners in missions. Jack tragically fell in love with Jay, and at the moment they have a passionate on-off relationship, the main problem being that Jay wants to love everyone else too.


	58. Part IV: Anniversary

**Part IV: Streamline**

 **Chapter: Anniversary**

* * *

"Hey sleepyhead, wake up already!"

Myers woke up to the voice that penetrated the fog of his dreams, to the scent of freshly boiled coffee. He yawned, stretched and opened his eyes, just to see an angel standing by his bed. An angel, illuminated by the morning light that entered the room through the white linen curtains, with a halo of golden red hair around her.

He blinked a few times, to shake off the remains of the dream.

Margot, holding a cup of coffee in her hands, looking her with a quizzical look.

Why had he thought she was an angel? A weird dream. Yeah, she was beautiful as always, but an angel?

He didn't even know if they existed, though he suspected they did. Demons were real, so.

"You look like you need some coffee."

Margot took a seat on the bed, and offered him the mug, which he accepted gratefully.

"Thanks. You've been up for long?"

"Not long." Margot replied with a smile. "Just long enough to make you coffee. Forgot what day it is today?"

"Our anniversary." He remembered instantly. "21 years of marriage."

"Yeah. 21 years." she breathed, and moved closer to him, sat on his lap, her thighs both sides of his hips. "And I know just how I want to celebrate it."

"You do?"

"Oh, yes. I have some things in my mind."

She was purring now, and she took his coffee mug, to place it on the bedstand. Her weight was on him, her slender legs on both sides of his hips, and he knew the look in her eyes, oh so well. He laid his hands on her hips, to feel the feminine shape of her curves, to pull up the hem of her silky nightgown.

21 years married, and he still wanted her like crazy.

21 years of marriage, everyday together, every day feeling her skin on his own, her thoughts on his, her lips on his, and still he hadn't gotten tired of her.

He knew he never would.

Not a day went by, without him wondering that a woman like this had agreed to spend her life with him. He still felt like the luckiest bastard ever to walk on this earth.

He had turned 50 already, and even if he was in excellent shape, there was no denying that he wasn't young anymore. There was some gray in his dark hair, and a lot more wrinkles in his face than he liked to admit - but with Margot he never felt old.

He ran his fingers through her hair. It was just as curly and thick as it had been when they had first met, but she had a shorter haircut now - a more adult look. Her skin was still smooth to touch, her figure firm and athletic like a one of a long distance runner, her eyes still sparkled with the fire that burned inside of her soul, and the lines around her eyes only emphasized the depth of her smile.

"21 years." he sighed. "I wouldn't change a day, you know? Not a day."

"Not even the day when I was kidnapped by an evil Goddess?"

"Okay, maybe that day. But the rest has been pretty good."

"Or the day when some dumb-ass managed to summon a demon of musicals or whatever, and you had to sing the whole day?"

Myers made a face.

"Yeah, maybe that too. Kat still won't shut up about it."

"She never will."

"And I am painfully aware of that." Myers muttered, letting his hands move to Margot's gorgeous backside, to feel the feminine curves that called for his touch. "And I don't want to think about that right now. I have something else in my mind."

"I know you do, lover." Margot purred and her body bent against his, her perfect breasts brushing slightly his chest and making him high headed. "So do I."

"Just let me say, that-."

But she kissed him, her arms around his neck, and in the kiss was the same heat that had swept him off his feet more than 20 years ago. It took his breath away, and he forgot what he had been about to say.

It probably was something about the way he felt.

That he still thought she was the most amazing thing that had ever happened to him.

That he wanted her like crazy, and that he longed to make love to her a thousand times more - preferably right away.

Or that he loved her, even more ferociously than before. And that he knew, as a fact, that he would keep on loving her till the day he died, and if there was an afterlife he'd love her there as well.

But she knew that already. And that was one more thing he loved about her.

* * *

A half an hour later, they lay on the bed side by side, naked, their hair ruffled, and the blissful afterglow of lovemaking was on them like a warm blanket.

Margot cuddled close to Myers, her hand resting on his chest. The coffee had long ago gotten cold in the mug on the bedstand.

"That was a nice way to celebrate." Myers murmured, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

"I plan to have you a dozen times more today." Margot grinned.

"Yeah? Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Work?"

"Yeah, but since it's Saturday, it can wait. But I was referring to our offspring, whom you asked to come home for the weekend."

"Oh! You're right, Sean and Amy." Margot said, and her face lit up on the way it always did when she thought about their children. One more thing he loved about her. "But they won't be here until afternoon, so we have plenty of time."

"You made the reservation?"

"Uhhuh." she nodded. "At Papa Giovanni's, 8 pm. That okay?"

"That's perfect. You know, it's nice to have them home." Myers admitted. "Even if it's just for the weekend. I've missed them."

"Yeah, me too." Margot replied. "Sometimes I miss the time they were small. I can't believe they're 20 already. I cannot possible be old enough to have kids that age!"

"You are absolutely right." Myers laughed. "You look about 25, so it's biologically impossible that they're yours."

"Hey!" Margot protested, but with a smile. "I was present when they were born, I might remind you. And flattering will get you nowhere with me."

"Experience has taught me otherwise." Myers turned so that he could kiss Margot, to roll on top of her, and feel her slender figure under him, the heavenly softness of her bosom on the bare skin of his chest. "Flattering will get me anywhere with you. And I'm ready to give you what you wished for - a dozen rounds of mind blowing sex. It's not like we have anywhere to go right now."

"A dozen?" Margot grinned like a vixen. "Is that a promise?"

"Am I a man or a mouse?"

"Mice are sex maniacs, you know."

"Well, then I'm a mouse. But so are you."

"You talk too much. Did I ever tell you that?"

"Never." he replied, but his lips were already on hers, and he felt how her body bent under his touch, her lips opened for him, and he fell into her mind.

21 years of marriage, and he wanted at least 50 more.

And he wanted to make love to her, every day, every night until the death would part them, when they'd both be 100 years old. He wouldn't let her go before that, if there was anything he could do about it.

But as always, there was little he could do.

Maybe it was for the best, that he didn't know he would never hold her in his arms again.


	59. Part IV: Old Friends

**Part IV: Streamline**

 **Chapter: Old Friends**

* * *

They never got to Papa Giovanni's.

In BPRD, it hardly mattered that it was weekend, that it was their anniversary or that their kids were coming over. The monsters never cared for those kind of things, which was one reason for Margot to dislike them so much.

The other reason was, that they killed innocent people.

Luckily there was something she could do about it, she thought. She'd kicked some demon ass today, and felt ready to kick some more if there still was anyone brave - or fool - enough left to defy her.

It was the usual story. Demons in a mall, eating people and making general mess. How had they gotten there, nobody knew yet, and they might never now as it often was. But the baddies were to be taken care of, and that's where BPRD came in. Margot had just returned home from the bus station with Sean and Amy, when Myers had received the call.

"Mom, Dad, come on!" Sean had pleaded. "Can't they take care of it without you? With Kat and Red back, can't you take the night off?"

But Margot knew they couldn't. This wasn't really a work, as much as a lifestyle. When she had made the decision to return to field work when the twins had been two years old, she had sworn to herself two things. First - that she would never take a human life again, and second - that she would always be on call. If there were people to save, she would go and save them, or die trying.

It was the only way she could make peace with her own demons. It wasn't like she was counting, but she was pretty certain that she had saved more lives than she had taken. Not that human lives could be counted like chocolate bars, but still, it was something. Past hardly ever came to haunt her again.

Living like this had suited her well. She was happy, a thing she had rarely been in her life.

And she brought her happiness with her to work. It was in her graceful movements as she walked through the lobby in this empty mall, it was in the way she let her gaze move from shadow to shadow, in her mind as she scanned the floor to make sure that they had gotten everyone out.

Self confidence, another name for happiness.

There was no doubt in her gaze, when she stopped to take a last look of the vast lobby. A job well done - the the civilians evacuated, the monsters killed or captured. The place was dark and empty with no sign of any living thing. Time to go home. They might even make it to Papa Giovanni's if she hurried.

But then, a feeling, like a dark shadow in an even darker night, passed her mind. It wasn't an actual thought, more like a feeling, that there was _something_ they hadn't noticed. She knew she had to check it out before calling it a day.

Slowly she headed into the empty Dior store, and it wasn't because of the gorgeous dresses that hang on the racks. Her black boots were silent on the tiled floor, and she moved like a feline, without a sound, as she followed the trail in her mind. It was like a cold, dark spot she felt in the darkness. Not a human, not a mind - but it's opposite. The absence of something that should've been there. Absence of life.

She had felt this before.

A vampire.

It was curious. There weren't that much vamps around, not now that there were two slayers in the US, and they were both feisty girls. Margot couldn't even remember when was the last time she had seen a vampire. But she was certain. She'd been around them often enough when she had been young. Too often, one might say.

"Come out." she stated. "I know you're in there."

Slow footsteps in the darkness. She saw a figure, dark against the darkness, the hem of a long leather jacket sweeped the floor.

She lowered her gun - it would do no good against a vamp, though it might slow it down. But to kill it, she'd need a stake, a wooden one, but where the hell would she get it?

She glanced around, but there was nothing useful in sight.

 _Great. Just my luck. Where the fuck are all the stakes when you need one?_

She thought of calling Kat in her mind, but then decided against it when remembering that she had a crucifix in her pocket, as always. They often came in handy, when fighting the forces of evil.

She pulled it out with her left hand, her right still holding the gun.

"Show your face!" she commanded. "I haven't got whole day to wait out your sorry ass."

"Your anniversary, is it?" a cold, sweet voice answered. It was like frozen honey, a combination that chilled and enthralled at the same time.

"How do you know?" she hissed, raising the crucifix between herself and the voice.

"Now now, Margot." an amused chuckle. "A crucifix? You were never a believer, if I remember correctly."

She blinked a few times.

That voice. That dark, smooth velvet in the night, and suddenly she was 15 again, and all her self confidence vanished.

"Lucien…?" she breathed, and the figure stepped out of the shadows.

"Long time no see." the tall, blond man answered. "You have changed."

"You haven't." she lowered her gun, and took a look at the vampire.

It was more than a decade that she had seen him, and even then it had been barely more than a few words when bumping onto him by accident on a street in Brussels. But she remembered every inch of him, every dark thought that had crossed her mind, every forbidden feeling that had sprouted in her heart when she had been 15, and first met Lucien.

He was still as beautiful as then, for he would never age. His skin was flawless, white like porcelain, his lips full and regal, the arrogant look in his ice blue eyes the one of an aristocrat. His blond hair fell to his shoulders, and it seemed to be moving, flowing in the air around his face even now, even without any wind.

She still remembered how it felt to run her fingers through that hair. How those cold lips felt on her mouth.

It made her shiver.

"Why are you here?" she breathed.

"For you, of course."

"What do you want of me?"

"What I always wanted of you." there was a smile on his lips, and in his eyes, and Margot felt like falling. He was so beautiful, it took her breath away.

"I never knew what it was." she whispered. "I gave you more than I should have, I gave you all, and it was never enough."

"No need to be so dramatic." Lucien smiled. "I only ever wanted your life."

And then he shot her.

Margot felt the bullet go through her abdomen, before she heard the gunshot. And by that time, she was already on the floor.

Another shot, and the burning pain pierced her shoulder, and her right arm went limp. Her gun, goddamnit, her gun! She tried to grab it with her left hand, but before she could reach it, there was yet another shot and both of her arms were out of the game.

"Aaaanggh….!" she groaned, of pain and frustration.

She had another gun, on her thigh. Or did she? Suddenly she could not remember. She tried to feel it with her mind, to grab it telechinetichally, but her mind was slipping. She felt her powers flowing out of her, like her blood, with every weakening pulse of her heart.

The darkness was creeping to her from every corner, and there was no escaping it now. In the shadows she saw the faces of every person she had ever killed, and through the pain, through the blood, she knew it was time.

"No!" she croaked, blood on her tongue, on her lips. "I won't….!"

"You were always a feisty one." Lucien noted coolly. He had walked to her, and crouched by her side.

"Fuck you!" Margot was spitting blood now. With the last spark of her powers, she threw the crucifix on his face.

He cursed as it hit him, burning a scar on the ivory skin of his high cheek bone. But it had only won Margot a few seconds.

 _John! Kat! Help, help me!_

She had just enough time to send the message before Lucien grabbed her hair, yanked her head back and she felt the coldness of his lips on her neck.

* * *

Myers turned on his heels, and ran back towards the entrance.

He didn't care about the agents guarding the front door, as he rushed past them. There was no time to explain, no time to stop and ask for help.

Margot's voice in his mind had been clear, as clear as the silence that had followed. It was all that he could think about now, that he didn't hear her anymore. That her voice had faded in his mind, and was followed only by silence that turned his heart into a lump of ice.

He ran up the escalator, two steps at a time.

His breathing was fast, he tasted blood on his lips. Acid and salt, the taste of fear.

"Margot…!" he cried out, but there was no answer. "Margot, where are you?!"

This was where he had last seen her, the lobby of the second floor. But now it was silent and empty, only the lights of the emergency exits illuminated the vast space, making every shadow look like a potential danger. But it was nothing, but an empty mall, even if rather eerie looking with the mannequins of the fashion boutiques staring back at him with their lifeless faces.

"Margot!" he called out, his voice cracking.

Still no answer, only the echo of his own voice.

And then he saw.

The Dior boutique, right in front of him. And on the floor, a figure lay on her back, in a pool of something dark. A pool of blood.

"No…!" the cry go stuck in his throat.

He was frozen. His feet were glued to the floor. Time stopped, it felt sticky and heavy in the air around him, and he was a fish on the ground, unable to move or even to breath.

"No..."

The taste of tears was like taste of blood, all salt and steel, and he felt like choking.

He didn't know how, but he managed to rush through the room, to break the curse that had frozen him, but as the time began to move again, it brought the pain and the fear, and he could not escape the reality anymore. It hit him on the stomach like a wrecking ball, and all air left his lungs as he fell to his knees by Margot's side and her blood soaked his clothes.

He knew she was dead, even before he touched her.

But still, he had to try.

He pressed his lips on hers, to breath air into her lungs, but it felt absurd. Touching her was… it was impossible. For it wasn't her anymore. There wasn't any spark of her mind left, she was gone, her soul, her essence, her spirit, all of it, had left her and all that was there, all that Myers felt when pressing his lips to hers, was a dead body. A dead body, a lump of meat, a shell of something that was now gone.

He couldn't continue the CPR, he knew it would do no good.

"Please, no…"

It was a wail, barely audible.

He sat back, and let go of her. There was blood, so much blood, that it was like an ocean of despair on the floor. It stained her angelic hair, her face that was pale as death. Her eyes stared lifelessly to the roof, and it was more than he could take.

He picked up his gun, that had fallen to the floor.

His hands were shaking, silent tears running down his face but he hardly noticed. He raised the gun to his temple, and closed his eyes.

 _Just pull the trigger and you'll see her again._

The steel was cold on his skin, but Margot's blood in his clothes was warm. He tasted fear, and love and despair, and he knew there was no going back. There was no version of the future where he could go on living without her.

His soul had been carved out of his chest, and how could a man live without a soul?

 _Pull the trigger._

 _You'll see her again._

 _You'll see her-_

* * *

"Don't you even think about that!" Kat yelled.

For a moment she was more enraged than shocked, enraged that Myers would do something so utterly stupid, but then she let the scene in front of her eyes to sink in, and it took her breath away.

"Take another step, and I'll shoot my brain to the wall." Myers breathed.

The look in his eyes broke Kat's heart.

Hollow, haunted, broken. The man in front of her, was no longer the man she had known.

"You won't." She forced the words out of her mouth. "Give me the gun."

Myers was on his knees, still holding the gun on his head, his whole form shaking slightly, as if he was freezing to death. She didn't dare to turn her gaze from Myers' eyes, as she heard how Red's footsteps neared and stopped behind her.

After an endless silence, that was only interrupted by the hoarse sounds of Myers' uneven breathing, she heard how Hellboy spoke up.

"Myers, come on. Put the gun away."

Another eternity passed, and Myers did nothing, said nothing. He kept gripping the gun so hard, that his knuckles went withe. Like his life depended on it. Slowly Red walked past Kat, and without a word he gently took the gun from Myers. He didn't resist, as Red threw it away.

It seemed like Myers hardly noticed.

He stayed on his place, kneeling on the floor, swaying slowly as if there was a wind blowing right through him.


	60. Part IV: The things that I know

**Part IV: Streamline**

 **Chapter: The things that I know**

* * *

He didn't know, how it had happened.

Somehow, without his knowledge, without his lead, the room was full of people. They were taking photographs, the flash lights of their cameras unbearably bright in the dark, they were making notes, and talking, their voices like buzzing of flies in his ears - as meaningless, as incomprehensible.

How could they talk like that? How could they walk? How could these people go on breathing? Did they not know that the world was no more? That it had all ended, everything, his life - no, all life on Earth, had surely stopped with Margot's heart.

The only thing he knew, was that he had always been here.

He had sat on this floor his whole life, his clothes soaked with her blood, his heart turned to lead, it's beats heavy and slow and painful. There was nothing else than this. His body had turned to stone, and if he'd even try to move, to get up, to open his mouth - it would turn to dust.

That's what he knew.

It took some time before he realized someone was trying to speak to him.

He blinked a few times, looked up.

It took all he had, to turn his gaze away from Margot. A familiar figure hovered over him, the blue skin, the black, vast eyes of the merman.

"John, are you alright?" Abe hesitated. "Physically?"

Alright? What did that even mean?

But somehow, seeing the worry in Abe's face made Myers snap back to reality. He managed to nod.

"Yes. I mean… this is not my blood."

But it was. It was his blood, like it had been poured out of his heart, and his life with it. He felt like lier to try and tell otherwise.

"Let's go home, John. There is nothing we can do here anymore."

"Home?"

"Yes, home. Come on, I'll help you up."

"No…" he turned his eyes back to Margot. Her lifeless form, her beautiful eyes that stared at the roof, her hair, soaked with blood, her face, oh that face he had held in his hands so many times, had kissed those lips and felt their smile on his own. He felt like choking, like words were pieces of burning coal that got stuck in his throat.

"I cannot." he breathed. "I can't leave her."

"John, don't." Abe knelt by his side, forced him to look at him. "These are your men, they know what they are doing. You're place isn't here now, it's home, with Sean and Amy."

 _Sean and Amy._

 _What am I going to say to them?_

A pain unlike anything he had felt, cut right through his heart when he remembered the faces of his children.

 _How can I ever face them? I've let them down like never before._

"Where's Red?" That was Kat's voice. She was sitting on the floor too, not far from Myers, and she had been silently crying all this time.

"Searching the place." Abe replied. "If the thing that did this, is still here, Red will find him."

"He shouldn't be out there alone!" Kat protested.

"He is not alone." Abe's voice was calm. "There are agents with him, good agents. Let them do their job, and come with us, Kat. I need you to take John home."

There was a moment of silence, Myers heard how Kat sobbed, tried to stop crying. His own eyes were dry. The tears that had poured to his face when he had found Margot, had inexplicably stopped flowing. Crying felt like an understatement, like this was a normal kind of grief. Yet every inch of his soul knew that it wasn't.

It was the end of the world, and you don't just cry when you're dying.

* * *

They had barely materialized in Myers' living room, as a young, hysterically sobbing woman threw herself at Myers, and wrapped her arms around his neck, her dark hazelnut curls swinging around her slender shoulders.

"Dad!" Amy cried, her voice thick with tears.

"Amy?" Myers was clearly shocked. "How do you know?"

A silent voice of a young man answered from the corner: "We felt it when it happened."

It was Sean. He looked pale, his red curly hair a mess, a scared look of a child in his green eyes.

Of course they had felt it.

Kat shook her head slowly to clear her mind. If any one of them had been in their right mind, they would've realized the twins would feel Margot's death.

Margot's death.

Those words struck Kat so hard, that she just could not face them, not now, not in front of everyone. She made the decision to push them away, to push away the grief into the farthest corner of her mind, where it would wait until she was back in Red's arms.

She glanced at Myers - it was obvious he had made a similar kind of a decision. Holding his daughter in his arms, he looked like he was the strong figure Amy needed to keep her from falling apart, but Kat knew better.

She had seen Myers on his knees in Margot's blood, and…. and she wasn't going to think about that right now.

Luckily Abe's voice interrupted her troubled thoughts, and she quickly pulled herself together.

"John, tell me, how can I help?" Abe inquired.

Myers, still holding Amy in his arms, looked up to his friends.

"I need you to stay here with Sean and Amy."

"Dad…?" Amy sobbed. "What do you mean? You cannot go, not now-"

"I must." Myers' tone was calm, his eyes dark. "I'm sorry Amy, for everything. But the job-"

"Screw the job!" Sean spat out. "It's always the job, always! None of this would've happened if you'd taken the night off!"

Sean's emotional outburst left them all shocked (especially since none of them had ever heard him speak like that), and Kat could practically see how Myers crumbled to pieces in front of his son.

"You don't get to talk your dad like that!" Kat stated. "Like Margot would've agreed to skip a mission!"

"No, Kat, please." Myers breathed, his face pale and haunted. "He is right, and I will pay for that for the rest of my days. But now, Abe, will you stay with the kids? Kat, we need to move."

"Of course." Abe nodded. "Anything."

"Where to?" asked Kat?

"To see your brothers." Myers said.

* * *

In a heartbeat Kat and Myers materialized just a few blocks away, in the kitchen of a beautiful green house down the road. A loud crash followed their appearance, as a large soup bowl slipped of Amanda's fingers.

"Twenty years living with us, and you still haven't gotten used to teleportation during the dinner?" Jay laughed.

Amanda was just about to snap back, but happened to glance towards Kat and Myers, and the words left her.

It was Andu, who spoke first, standing up.

"What happened?"

"Margot's dead." Kat felt her voice breaking.

Amanda gasped, and fell to a chair, all color fleeing her face.

"How did it happen?" Andu asked, his hand founding Amanda's shoulder.

It was eerie to hear Myers' voice as he went through the events of this night. He spoke monotonically, keeping his eyes on the floor, as if talking about something that had not happened to him. Seeing him like this felt wrong, Kat thought, it felt worse than seeing him crying and holding the gun on his head. It made her feel helpless, and for the first time ever, she didn't know what to do. She didn't know how to fix things.

When Myers had finished, a silence fell into the room.

"Who did it?" Jay asked after a few heartbeats.

"We don't know yet." Myers met Jay's yellow eyes. "We'll know more when we get the security tapes."

Jay gave a sharp nod. His face was so uncharacteristically serious, that there would've been no telling the brothers apart.

Amanda got up, and managed to walk to Myers, her legs trembling. She gave her brother an embrace, not caring about his blood soaked clothes, wrapped her arms around him - and again Myers wore the face of someone Kat didn't know. Of a person who was strong and steady and cool, and keeping Amanda from falling apart.

"Can I come with you?" Amanda asked after a while, wiping off her tears. "I want to see Sean and Amy, they must be…"

Myers nodded. "Sure. I'd appreciate that."

"We should get going." Kat noted. "I'm worried about Red. Besides… you need a shower."

It was as if Myers hadn't realized that before, but now he took a look at the mirror on the wall. His face was pale, his eyes dark and his cheeks stained with blood. His hair was full of it too, lumps of dried blood making it sticky and unruly. Kat met his eyes through the mirror, and for a shortest of moments, she saw the pain in them, until he masked it again, and turned his eyes away.

"Jay, Andu, can I ask you a favor?" Myers turned to look at the twins.

"No need to ask." Andu replied. "We're on it."

"We'll find the one responsible." Added Jay. "And we'll bring him to you."

With a loud 'bamf' they disappeared into a cloud of blue smoke.

For a moment Kat felt proud to be able to call them her brothers.

* * *

Myers sat on his bed - no, _their_ bed - and stared at the wall.

It was late already, 2 am, but there was no way he could sleep.

Amanda had stayed over, and was sleeping on the living room couch as Sean and Amy slept on the floor, holding each other in their sleep. That was how they had always been, since they were babies. They could not be apart, as if somehow they shared a consciousness. Even now, they were a unit, keeping each other together, sharing the pain and the grief in their own, private world.

Margot had been part of that world, but as much as Myers loved his children, he had always been an outsider in their secret universe. He was a muggle, a mundane, in the world of paranormal and magic, and in his own family. No matter what he did, he could never ease the pain of his children the way they eased it for each other.

Kat had left to be with Red, and Abe had followed her (he needed to get into his tank). Myers could tell, that they had all been relieved to leave, that they didn't know what to say to him or what to do, and that they were scared of this house and it's grief.

He knew they had loved Margot too, but it was different.

He was alone. More so, than he had ever been in his life.

The coffee mug was still on the night stand.

Margot's dress, the one she had chosen for their anniversary dinner, was laid out on a chair. It was green and girly, and he loved that dress, he loved how Margot carried it and how it made her look like a fairy.

Margot's scent was in the room, in the sheets of the bed, in the air that he breathed, her familiar scent of roses and cinnamon, that he had never asked where it came from. If it was a perfume, or if it was her natural odor, or magic. He would never know now.

Margot's shoes on the floor, her hairbrush on the dressing table, her unfinished book (something called 'Lady Midnight') on the nightstand, her pajamas in the bed.

All he could see was her lifeless face, and the bite marks in her neck.

He had went to see the body to BPRD, alone. Kat and Abe had offered to come with him, but he had told them not to.

Margot had laid on the autopsy table, naked under a sheet. They had revealed her face to him, her neck and her shoulders. Someone had closed her eyes, which was a relief, but otherwise she had looked just like she had on the floor of the mall. Small, helpless and young.

"It was a vampire, no doubt." The doctor had said, pointing the bite marks on her neck.

Myers had noticed them already, of course. The ugly, red holes on her beautiful, porcelain skin, right under the line of her jaw, on the place where he had loved to kiss her.

"Can you tell if she's been turned?" He had forced the words out of her mouth.

The doctor had shaken his head. "Not for sure. There are no traces of vampire blood in her mouth, but as you know, it only takes a few drops. So no, we cannot be certain, Sir."

"Right." Myers had laid his hand on Margot's shoulder. It was so cold, stiff. She was dead, and for a few moments he had let that knowledge to sink in.

"What do we do, Sir?" the doctor had inquired after a short while. "Do we wait, or…?"

"Cremate her." Myers had pulled the sheet back on Margot's face.

"Right away?"

"The sooner the better." He had turned to walk to the door, not once looking back as he left.


	61. Part IV: No Happy Ending

**Part IV: Streamline**

 **Chapter: No Happy Ending**

* * *

"Myers…? What the Hell are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at home?" Kat stated stepping into Myers' office.

It was seven o'clock in the morning, less than 12 hours after Margot's death, and Kat had been 100% certain that she'd be the only one of their team up and about.

"I'm working." was Myers' blunt response.

Kat blinked a few times.

"I can see that, but I cannot understand why." she said pointedly. "Shouldn't you be… I don't know, with your children?"

Myers lifted his gaze from the computer screen, and frowned. He was wearing his usual office uniform - a spotless white shirt and a sharp black suit, and his face was clean shaven. The only thing that told Kat something was off with him, was the colour of his face, that was pale as death, and the dark shadows under his eyes.

"Amanda is with them." Myers replied, his voice tense as a string. "She can handle it."

"No doubt, but-"

"Just… leave it, Kat." he gave an exasperated sigh. "Sean hates my guts. He blames me for Margot's… for what happened. I cannot… I cannot deal with that right now. I have things to do."

Kat stared at him silently for a few heartbeats. She had noticed how he had avoided saying 'Margot's death', but she could hardly blame him. It wasn't like she could force those words out of her own mouth either.

"You look like Hell, Boss." she noted. "Did you get any sleep?"

"No. Did you?"

Kat shook her head. "But it's different. I can go without sleep for a lot longer than humans."

Myers rested his head on his hands, and gave a sigh, or a sob, Kat wasn't sure. When he finally looked back at her, his eyes were dark and deep, the blue of them like the sea before storm, and the look in them made Kat restless.

"What are you doing here, Kat? I am not in mood for your chit chat."

Kat shrugged.

"I came to ask someone where are they holding Margot. I wanted to see her."

Myers was silent for a few heartbeats.

"You're too late."

"What do you mean too late."

"She was cremated. Last night."

"Already?! But… but why would you do that?!"

"You know why." Myers' tone was now as dark as his eyes. "There was the possibility she'd been turned. I had to take care of that."

Kat bit her lip not to snap back at Myers. She knew, alright. But still… it was so permanent. Now there was nothing left of her friend, nothing but a pile of ashes, nothing she could tell her goodbyes to, and it was his fault.

But she would have time for that later. For a proper goodbye.

"Alright." she said. "I get it."

"Good. We had a deal, Margot and me. That if something like this happened… to either one of us, the other one would make sure that..."

Myers didn't finish his sentence, and Kat didn't press on it.

"When is the funeral going to be?" she asked instead. "Or the memorial service?"

"We're not going to have one."

Now Kat was shocked. The cremation, fine, she understood it. The not sleeping and looking like Hell, that was expected. But this? No funeral? It felt like a punch to her sternum, like a slap on her face, and she felt the primitive instinct to fight for her friend - for Margot. It was really hard not to get angry at Myers right now, but Kat decided to try nevertheless.

"What the Hell are you talking about?" she asked, fighting to keep her voice calm. "I loved her too. I want to say goodbye."

"It's not…" Myers buried his face into his hands again, to hide his eyes from her. His shoulders were shaking, and for a moment Kat thought he'd start weeping, but the moment only lasted for a few seconds. He seemed to get a grip of himself, and when he sat up again, his eyes were still dry.

"She didn't want one." he groaned. "She made me promise. No funeral. No memorial service… she wanted for us to have a _party_."

"A party?"

"Yes. A party, where there would be lots and lots of Tequila, and… and music, and happy people… dancing and getting drunk while remembering the things that we loved about her. No tears and no sorrow, she said."

Kat could not respond anything to that. It sounded just like Margot, a crazy-ass selfish idea, and beautiful, as it was.

"So… you see?" Myers breathed. "You see now, that we cannot have a funeral? I gave her my word. And the party…"

"It's going to have to wait." said Kat. "I understand."

"Yeah."

Looking at Myers' desperate face, the way he fought to keep himself together, all the anger Kat had felt suddenly left her.

"So, Boss…" she said with a gentler tone. "You said you've got work to do. Care to share some of it?"

Myers shrugged.

"It's the security tapes. I got them early this morning… I'm trying to find the right one."

Kat walked closer to him, to take a look at the computer screen.

"Shouldn't we get Abe?" she asked raising an eyebrow. "He's excellent with this kind of stuff."

"I just… I don't want to bother anyone."

"That's just stupid." Kat stated. "Abe and Red are gonna be so pissed at us, if they hear we started this job without them."

Myers shrugged, and turned his eyes away.

"Fine." his voice was tense and thin. "But just them, no one else. You got it?"

"Yeah, I got it, Boss." Kat said. "I'll get them. You go and fetch us some coffee, will you? You're no use to us without a functioning brain."

* * *

A few minutes later the old team, Kat, Red, Abe and Myers were sitting in a conference room, watching the security camera tapes that were displayed on a large screen. The room was silent and dark, only the bluish light of the screen playing on their serious faces.

"Abe, stop!" Myers commanded, and the film came to a stop.

"Is that you?" asked Kat, tilting her head. The picture was really out of focus, as security tapes often were.

Myers gave a sharp nod. "Yes. I'm taking the civilians out. I've just… left her. Abe, can you find the camera of the second floor lobby?"

"Of course, John." Abe's cool voice answered, and after only a few seconds, another picture appeared on the screen. "Is this what you were looking for?"

"Yes. That's better."

They all observed silently, as Margot stepped into the view. She briskly walked through the lobby, and soon disappeared from the screen.

"Abe, we're losing her." Myers muttered. "Get the next one."

"I am on it." A footage from a different camera was displayed. "I believe this is the correct one. This camera is placed right outside the Dior boutique, so it should-"

"Yes, this is it." Myers interrupted him.

"Look, she's seen something." noted Red, speaking up for the first time. "Back there."

"In the shadows." Myers breathed. His face twisted, as if he was tasting something foul. "I wonder… can you zoom it, Abe?"

"Not much." Abe said, but did his best.

The image was pixelated, and out of focus, but still clear enough for them to see what was happening.

A figure stepped out of the shadows, and approached Margot. She let her guard down, lowered her gun, and tilted her head, as if perplexed.

"A vamp." Red muttered. "Damn thing, didn't leave a trace."

But Myers didn't even hear that his friend had spoken. With all engulfing terror he watched at the thing that walked into the view, and he felt his heart freezing, it's every beat like razor blades in his chest.

It turned his stomach inside out.

"Stop the film!" he groaned, standing up. "Stop, right there!"

Hellboy took a look at Myers, frowning.

"You know that guy?"

"Oh yes, I do." Myers replied. The words had acidic taste on his lips. "I've met him."

He stared at the image on the screen, and the world seemed to shrink around him, into a place where only he existed, and the horrible guilt, pain and rage that pierced his heart in the moment he recognized that pale, bloodless face on the screen.

It felt like dying.

"He's Lucien." Myers forced himself to speak up. "He was a… friend of Margot. From her past. That's why she didn't call for help."

"A friend?" Red raised an eyebrow.

Myers shrugged, and didn't meet Red's eyes. "So she said. I didn't pry, she didn't like talking about her past."

"How do you recognize him?" that was Kat. "I doubt Margot kept pictures."

"We met once, in Brussels, more than ten years ago." Myers replied. "It wasn't planned."

"I've heard Margot mention him a couple of times." Kat said. "But I thought that he was working for Europol? Selling them information about the downworld? What reason would he have to attack Margot?"

"I do not know." Myers muttered. "But I plan to find out. Abe, let's move on."

"As you say, John."

The image on the screen tilted, and began to move again. In silence they watched, as Lucien approached Margot, and then, without a warning shot her. Margot went down, and Myers noticed that Kat turned her eyes away from the screen.

A pain, so fierce that it took his breath away, cut through Myers' core as he saw how Lucien smiled when he fired the gun again, and again, the bullets pierced Margot's flesh, the blood poured out, she gasped, there was blood on her lips, on her chin, and she was choking - and still Myers could not turn his gaze away from her.

He felt drowning, but he welcomed the pain, for it lit the rage in him, and he needed the strength it could give. It would keep him going, until he would find a way to finish this, and then-

Then, what would follow, he didn't dare to think.

There was no future for him, no tomorrow, no living on and getting old with Margot by his side, having a happy life until they'd be both old and toothless and demented. No happy ending. There was only this day, and perhaps tomorrow, time would go on until he'd find Lucien and take his revenge, and then-

Then he could give up.

He didn't close his eyes even in the end, when Lucien's greedy lips met Margot's neck, and he saw the life go out in her eyes.


	62. Part IV: Ghosts of the past

**Part IV: Streamline**

 **Chapter: Ghosts of the past**

* * *

Myers stood on a street at the suburbs of Hamburg, and looked at the house in front of him. It still looked much the same as decades ago: red, weather worn brick walls, creepy garden gnomes on the stairs, and the garden surrounding the house, that was now full of blossoming apple trees.

Suddenly he remembered with breathtaking clarity the first time he had stood here gathering courage, on a christmas eve 22 years ago. He had feared then, that Margot would refuse him, that he'd have to return home alone, and he had thought that it would be the worst thing that could possibly happen. Now he knew better. There were things far worse than not to get the girl.

It was a thousand times worse to get the girl, and then to lose her.

The thought of Margot's death pierced his heart again, like an arrowhead that was buried deep in the muscle of his heart. It sent pain, agonizing aching that radiated throughout his core, like poison that was eating him alive, and he knew it would never get better.

He knew it was his fault that Margot was dead, and thus he welcomed the pain.

It was painful to realize that if he had never came her to ask Margot to be his, Margot would still be alive. It was his love that had gotten her killed.

"Dad, what are we waiting for? Let's go in already." that was Amy. She slid her small hand into his, as if she was still a small girl, and Myers turned to look at her.

She had the Myers' hair - thick, dark hazelnut curls, and her eyes were the colour of a restless sea, dark blue with a hint of green. But even if she didn't have her mother's colors, everything in her reminded Myers about Margot. The slenderness of her shoulders, the line of her jaw, the shape of her eyes, the freckles on her nose and way her cheeks turned rosy on the chilly east wind.

Had Margot never fallen in love with him, there would be no Amy. Or Sean.

Myers glanced at his son, who still refused to meet his eyes, and he felt his heart breaking.

Sean was the living image of Margot.

He had inherited her flaming red hair, and her emerald green eyes, but it was more than that. It was the fire that lived in his heart and his soul, the temper that Myers knew existed under his usually so calm and smiling face.

One proof of that, was the fact that he so stubbornly blamed Myers for Margot's death, no matter what Amy or Eru had tried to tell him.

"You look so much like your Mother." Myers said. "Both of you."

"Thanks, Dad." Amy said, and gave him a sad smile.

"Still not talking to you." Sean muttered, and stared at his feet.

This made Kat (who'd teleported them to Hamburg) smack him on the back of his head, with her blue three fingered hand.

"Ouch!" protested Sean, rubbing the spot where she'd hit him. "That hurt!"

"Your Mom raised you better than that, Sean Trevor Myers." Kat shrugged. "Don't whine."

"Stop fighting!" Amy snapped. "Sean, please."

The tone of his sister's voice made the angry mask slip of Sean's face, and without a word he took her hand (which Myers reluctantly let go). Neither of the twins said a thing, but Myers was aware of the silent exchange of thoughts and feelings that went on between those two. It had always been like that with them - they had been more than three years old before they learnt to speak properly, for it was so much easier for them to just slip into each other's minds and share everything. Only when they had felt the need to start talking to other people, had they learnt to speak.

Myers gave a long sigh, and turned his eyes back at the house in front of them.

"I guess it's time." he said, more to himself than to his companions. "Let's go in."

* * *

A few minutes later Kat and Myers were sitting in the small library/office with Dr. Heinemann. Amy and Sean had disappeared to the kitchen with Martha, who had cried and held them in her arms, and promised to make them hot chocolate with rum (which apparently was her medicine to heartbreak). Myers still wasn't quite sure how he felt about the fact that the kid's grandmother offered them alcoholic beverages, but then again, this was Europe, and they _were_ legally old enough to drink here.

"I take it you're not here just to bring the kids?" Dr. Heinemann said.

Myers blinked, and turned his gaze back at the older man.

"You're right, Stefan." he admitted. "I didn't want to speak about it while the kids and Martha were present, but-"

"It's about Margot, isn't it. You need my help for something."

Myers gave a small nod. "I understand that you're retired… and that this is the worst possible moment, but yes. We need your advice on how to catch the murderer."

"I will of course do whatever I can." Dr. Heinemann continued. "But first…. tell me, John. Did Margot… did she suffer?"

Myers felt like choking. It took all he had, to be able to look up and meet the grey eyes of Margot's father, the eyes that were now full of sorrow, and fatigue.

"It happened so fast." Kat said. "She did not suffer for long."

Myers glanced at Kat, who had changed back to her human form, and sent her a silent thanks.

Dr. Heinemann nodded, and turned to look away. He was silent for a long while, his eyes fixated on the blossoming trees in the garden.

"She loved the garden, you know?" he finally said, on a very silent voice. "That's why she always wanted to come back here. To sit under that apple tree, and read a book."

"Amy likes that too." Myers forced himself to say. "She takes after her mother."

"She's an adorable young woman." Dr. Heinemann noted. "But Sean has more of Margot, I think. Amy takes after you."

"I agree." Kat said. "Eru thinks so too, by the way."

Myers glanced at Kat.

Amy and Eru? Kat had hinted before that there might be something going on there, but who knew? The thought brought sudden warmth to his broken heart. He could hardly imagine a better man for his daughter, than Hellboy's only son Eru.

But the small happiness in his heart didn't last for long. He knew why they had come here, and it sure as Hell wasn't talking about their children's love life. Just one look at Dr. Heinemann's face brought Myers back to reality.

"Stefan..." he began, and suddenly his throat felt so dry and hoarse that it was difficult to speak. "I know there is nothing I can say to fix this, to change what happened… but I just wanted to say, that I am sorry. I promised to keep Margot safe, and I failed. I understand if you can never forgive me."

"John, please." the older man shook his head. "It was not your fault."

"But it was. I left her alone. I wasn't there for her, when she needed me most."

It felt like breathing fire, to force out those words, but the only thing that felt worse than that, was the devastating sorrow in Dr. Heinemann's eyes.

"Stop that, John." he groaned. "What's done is done. I know that you loved her."

"I love her." Myers snapped back. "No past tense."

"And that's all that matters." the older man said, resolute. "I cannot forgive you, for there is nothing to forgive. She loved you, and you made her happy. Don't you apologize for that."

Myers could hardly nod. He knew he didn't deserve those words, but still the relief was so fierce it almost took his breath away.

"Thank you, Stefan. I-"

"Enough of that." Dr. Heinemann made a wave with his hand. "Now, let's talk business. That's what you're really here for, isn't it?"

"That is true, Sir." Kat said. "We need your help to catch Margot's killer."

The old professor picked up his glasses from the table, put them on, and leaned forward. "Alright. What can I do?"

Myers took his phone from his pocket, and showed it to Dr. Heinemann.

"Do you know this man?" he asked, showing a photo that Abe had taken from the security tapes.

Dr. Heinemann nodded, and gave out a long sigh. "Yes, I know him. It's Lucien, a vampire and Europol's mole. He killed her, right?"

"Yes. And I need to understand why. Anything you can tell us about him, is highly valued."

The old man leaned back in his chair, and turned his gaze away from the picture.

"Oh, I know a great deal about him… and I always knew he'd be trouble. I only wish that Margot had believed me when I told her so."

"You knew he'd harm her?"

"No, not as such… I thought it was all in the past. But this would make a lot more sense if I started from the beginning, don't you think?"

"Please do." Myers said. "We're not in a hurry."

"You see, it all began when we took Margot in…" the old man leaned back in his chair, turned his eyes to the window, to the garden his daughter had loved so much. But it was as if he didn't see it at all, as if he was looking to the past, and began his story.

"She was no more than a little girl at that time, just turned 14, and she was a tiny little thing. Looked years younger than she was." Dr. Heinemann paused for a while, and glanced at Myers. "I think you know all about that already, of how I found her in Europol's secret department, locked in and drugged?"

"Yeah, I've heard that story." Myers noted. "She told me you saved her."

Dr. Heinemann shrugged. "I don't know about saving, but I could not leave her there. I had to do something. So I took her in, and we raised her as our daughter… though it wasn't always easy. To tell you the truth, the first years it was almost never easy."

"She was very different from the young woman you met ten years later." Dr. Heinemann continued. "She was a shy, timid creature. Very silent. Very much afraid of everything. We knew little of her former home, but from what she told us, it was obvious it had been a family with no much love. She had been raised up to hide her emotions, to be seen but not heard. She had never had a chance to rebel, to express her feelings, to be a normal teenager. Margot had been forced to take care of her younger siblings while her mother and stepfather concentrated on their careers."

"Stepfather?" Kat interrupted raising an eyebrow. "Margot didn't live with her dad?"

"No." Myers replied. "Didn't you know? Margot didn't have any idea who her real father was. Nobody had."

"Oh." Kat said, and seemed perplexed. "She never mentioned that."

"She didn't like talking about that. It was very painful for her to think about her past." The old professor continued. "She refused to talk about them at all, when first arriving here. To be precise, she refused to talk. She locked herself in her room, but it hardly made any difference - her chained emotions began to surface, and they made the whole house shake. We had to repair our windows a dozen times, for they kept exploding. Other things happened too…" he was silent for a moment, and gave a long sigh. "... but I always believed in her. I always thought that if we gave her unconditional love, if we helped her through the hard times, she would thrive. I believed in her."

"You were right." Myers replied. "Margot knew what you had done for her, and she appreciated it."

"I know." Dr. Heinemann sighed. "But to be honest, it was mostly Martha. She left her work, to be able to be with Margot all the time. Neither one of us knew a thing about telepathy, but she learnt everything she could, and helped Margot to figure out how to control her powers, how to use them. In six months she was a changed girl."

"What do you mean?" Myers asked. "Changed how? And what does this have to do with Lucien?"

"Oh, you'll see." Dr. Heinemann replied with a dark tone. "Just let me get there."

"Sorry." Myers said. "Please, go on."

"As I was saying, Margot changed. Getting a hang of her powers seemed to give her a boost of confidence, or maybe it was the fact that she finally had a home where she was accepted and loved, I don't know… anyhow, she began to rebel. I understand it now - it must've been a horrible thing for a child that young to realize she wasn't like the rest of us, and to accidentally kill her friends. But then, I had hard time coping with her tantrums."

"We moved to Prague for some time, I got assigned there, and for a while things were better. But then Margot broke up with Marco, and all hell broke loose again." Dr. Heinemann gave a long, sad sigh and shook his head. "Margot got it in her head, that she was a freak, and that she could never have a normal life, or a normal boyfriend. She got depressed."

"I didn't know what to do with her, and neither did Martha. We tried everything. We took her to a doctor, to a shrink, to all kinds of specialists, but nothing helped. Margot had lost her will to live, and we were helpless. Until I had an idea."

"What kind of idea?" Kat asked.

"To take her with me to work." Dr. Heinemann replied. "We had moved back to Brussels, and I thought, that if she saw that the world was full of supernatural things, that she wasn't the only one out there, it would help to put things back to perspective. Maybe it would give her a sense of purpose too."

"And did it?"

"Oh, it did." the old man sighed. "But it also introduced her to Lucien."

They were all silent for a little while, before Dr. Heinemann turned to face Myers, his eyes now deep and dark, full of sorrow and regret.

"You see, John, it is me who is to blame for Margot's death, not you. It was my fault she ever met Lucien in the first place."

Myers felt like frozen inside, but he knew he needed to hear the rest. He needed to hear it all, if it helped him to catch the monster who had taken his wife.

"Please, tell me how it happened." he breathed, his voice thin and stretched.

"Margot was 16 or 17 at that time. I took her with me to work quite often that time, not only for her sake, but for mine too - I had already learnt that it was handy to have a telepath on board. It happened on a routine mission. I had agreed to meet Lucien, who was selling information of Downworld to us, and Margot was with me." Dr. Heinemann paused for a rather long while, and a pained expression flashed on his eyes. "Had I known what would follow, I never would have let her come with me. You see, it was soon after that meeting, that Margot disappeared for the first time. She vanished from her room, and didn't come home in two days. Martha and me, we were desperate. I looked everywhere for her, I asked help from work, I did all I could, but I didn't find her. She was gone for two days and two nights, and when she finally returned home, she was pale and tired, and told us nothing of what had happened."

"I had my suspicions, of course, and I knew I was to blame. I had introduced her not only to Lucien, but to a world of paranormal and supernatural, to beings far weirder than her, and for the first time in her life she understood that she wasn't alone. That there were others. There was a whole world full of shadows and secrets, and things that called to her. She was drawn to that world, and she was fearless as only teenagers can be, thinking nothing bad could happen to her."

"She had fallen for the shadow world, but the thing that really swept her off her feet, were vampires." Dr Heinemann took a look at Lucien's photo that was still displayed on Myers' phone, and frowned. "I understand it, of course. At that age Margot still wasn't fully in control of her powers, and world was a noisy place for her. It must've been tormenting for her, people's thoughts constantly swarming into her mind… without any chance of finding silence. Until she met Lucien."

"You mean the fact that she could not read vampires." Kat stated.

"Yes. You have some telepathic abilities yourself, right?" Dr. Heinemann asked, and Kat gave a small nod. "Then you understand what I mean. It was a burden for Margot to hear everything, to know everything. Being around vampires was enjoying a moment of silence, a moment of normalcy, as absurd as that sounds."

"That's what Margot said to me once." Myers admitted. "That she loved vamps, because she could talk with them without knowing what they would say next."

Dr. Heinemann nodded. "I know why she liked being around them. And it was not just that, there were other reasons too. Their beauty and their decadence allured her, the parties and the constant sense of danger and excitement… it called to her. She was a teenager after all, with traumatizing past to try and live with."

"I tried to stop it of course. I told her a million times that she was forbidden to see Lucien or the rest of his people, but it did no good. Margot did what she wanted, as always. I could hardly keep a telepath and a telekinetic locked in the house." he made a small snort, a sad laughter. "It only got worse during that winter. Sometimes we didn't see Margot for days, and I began to fear it had been a mistake to take her in at the first place. I felt like we could not help her, for she didn't let us near. She kept secrets, and I was forced to keep secrets for her as well. Had Europol known how little time she spent home, they would have taken her back to the special department. Drugged her and never let her out again."

Dr. Heinemann paused for a while, and a silence fell into the room. A silence, only filled with the sounds of birds outside in the garden, and the old clock ticking on the wall, eating time with it's slow hands. From somewhere far away Myers could hear the voices of his children and Martha.

Finally Dr. Heinemann continued his story.

"Then one day it all changed." his voice was sad, it's tone somber. "It was an early morning, and I was still home, having breakfast, when we heard the doorbell. I rushed at the door, fearing the worst, but still unprepared for the thing that I saw."

"There was Lucien, and he was holding Margot, carrying her in his arms, and she was unconscious. She was pale as death and there were bite marks on her neck, on her arms, on every part of her skin that was visible, and for a moment I thought she was gone. And that bastard, that… _thing_ \- he was laughing, he was smirking at me when he let me take her. He was laughing at my face, and from the look on his eyes I knew he enjoyed letting me see what he had done to my little girl."

Myers was shocked, disgusted beyond words.

Just thinking about Margot like that, as a young girl, all helpless in the hands of a vampire… it made a hot rage burn in his heart, and he tasted iron.

Even if Dr. Heinemann didn't say it, he knew biting wasn't the only thing vamps did to humans when they had them like that. In his mind he could see Lucien's greedy hands on Margot's skin, his lips on her neck, and he knew where it had led to.

Jealousy had the taste of iron too, and it made him nauseous.

Dr. Heinemann gave him a look that was full of sorrow and regret.

"I wanted to kill him for that." the older man said. "And I would have, but I had Margot in my arms, and I had to take care of her. I took Margot to the hospital." Dr. Heinemann continued, after a rather pointed moment of silence. "She had lost a lot of blood. The doctors said, that had I not brought her in then, she would have died or at least suffered permanent injuries. It was a matter of minutes."

"But she lived. And after I was sure she would, I left the hospital and went to Europol headquarters to tell everything to my boss. To ask for a permission to raid the vampire lair, and to kill Lucien."

"And what did he say?" Kat asked, leaning forward in her chair. "What happened?"

"I was told to do nothing." Dr. Heinemann stated, with a bitter tone. "I was told to keep my daughter under control, and leave Lucien be."

"What?" Kat exclaimed. "That's crazy!"

"Is it?" the old man replied. "It was wrong, of course, but it was hardly crazy. He was an important asset to Europol. He was the main source of information we had on the downworld business. It was a rational decision, and I was given an order. I didn't disobey it."

Myers felt like dying.

He could hear the pain and the regret on Dr. Heinemann's voice, but it hardly made any difference. He knew now, that Lucien had hurt Margot before, and that whole Europol, including Margot's father, had just stood by and let it happen.

He didn't know how he could ever forgive that.

Dr. Heinemann must have read his feelings from his face, for he met his eyes and when he spoke again, his tone was the one of a man who's lost all.

"If it makes any difference, it was not easy for me to follow that order." he said. "And I thought of going after him, even if I knew it would come with a cost. But one cannot keep thoughts like these secret when living with a telepath."

"Oh." Kat said. "Margot read your mind."

"She did that all the time. As I said, she couldn't really control her powers back then. And when she learnt what I planned to do to Lucien, she pleaded me not to act."

"She did… what?" Myers managed to ask.

"You heard me. Margot made me promise I would not harm Lucien. She cried, and she was desperate, and she… ah, it doesn't matter, does it? What I mean, is that she didn't think Lucien had hurt her in purpose. She still trusted him and cared for him-"

"What you're not saying, is that she was in love with him?" Myers groaned. "You mean that, don't you? That she… that my-"

"John, don't." Kat placed her hand on his shoulder. "Don't go there. It makes no difference now."

"How can you say that?" he felt like choking, and the words tasted like tears in his mouth. "Did you know? Did you know she had been in love with that… creature?"

"No, I didn't know." Kat snapped. "And I bet Margot didn't tell me because she was ashamed of it. We all do stupid things when we're young, and we don't go boasting about them later on."

It took all Myers had to not rush out of the room and leave all this behind.

 _We all do stupid things when we're young._

Yeah, right. His most stupid adolescent act had been taking a girl to a ride with uncle Thaddeus' motorcycle in the middle of the night. Not exactly comparative to sneaking into a vampire lair to have sex and to get drained of blood.

But then again, Margot had always been a wild one, like a force of nature. And he had loved her for that. He wouldn't have changed a thing about her.

"She loved you." Kat said, as if reading his mind. "You know that she did."

Loved. In past tense.

The absence of Margot's love was like a hole in his chest, like a bullet wound in his heart, like a desert of ice and sand, where no thing can survive.

 _Just get this thing done. Just catch the bastard who took her away from you, and then you can-_

He shook his head, to get a hold of himself. There was no breaking down now. The job had to be finished.

"Please, tell us what happened after that." Myers forced his voice to be calm, his hands to stop shaking. "What happened to Lucien? Did you see him again?"

Dr. Heinemann shook his head.

"I know little about his life - if you can call it that - afterwards. I never saw him again after the morning he was at my door. I could not trust myself not to kill him if I saw him, so I asked not to be assigned on the missions that might include dealing with him."

"And after you were made the director of operations?"

"I heard he left Brussels soon after, and I think it might not have been a coincidence."

Myers was silent for a little while, giving some thought on the things he had just heard.

Carefully removing all emotion off the matter, he tried to observe it as if he was just working on a case.

Lucien had almost killed Margot all those years ago, but apparently it had not been on purpose. If a vampire wanted to kill a human, it would've been easy. He could've drained Margot to death while he was at it. Instead he had chosen to bring the unconscious and badly injured Margot to the footsteps of an Europol agent.

It was illogical. And as far as Myers knew, behind every illogical decision were emotions.

So maybe Margot's love for Lucien had not been unrequited after all?

But that gave Myers no answers, only more questions.

If Lucien had wanted Margot dead, then why had he not killed her years ago? And if he had indeed cared for her, or even loved her, then why had he taken her life?

"This makes no sense to me." he muttered, glancing at Kat. "I do not understand. Why would he kill Margot?"

"Because someone paid him to do so." Dr. Heinemann stated. "That would be my guess. He was easy to buy, for he loved a luxurious lifestyle and he didn't have any principles. Someone paid him to do it, because they knew she would let him near her."

"Paid - or threatened." said Kat. "There are other motivators than money. Fear is a good one too."

"It's not that easy to threaten a vampire." noted Myers. "They're not afraid of many things."

"Everyone's afraid of something." replied Kat with a dark tone. "We might need to find out who is powerful enough to scare a vampire to do his bidding, to get to the bottom of this."

Myers knew instinctively that Kat was right, and he didn't like it a bit. He had a bad feeling that they were standing on a cliff, facing and endless void that would take them down into depths he wasn't sure he was prepared to deal with.


	63. Part IV: Rise of the Blood Queen

**I'm sorry that it took me so long to finish this chapter! Life happened and I had to take some time off FFnet. But I'm back now, and hope to be posting the next chapter a bit faster. :) Thank you for reading, and please, leave a review!**

* * *

 **Part IV: Streamline**

 **Chapter: Rise of the Blood Queen**

* * *

 **Three days later:**

Myers stepped out of the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel. His body was still wet, dripping water to the carpet, but he hardly cared. The image in the mirror told enough of his current state: pale skin, dark shadows under the eyes, face unshaven. He seemed thinner too, the high arcs of his hipbones sharp under his skin, clearly visibly now that he was only wearing a towel wrapped around his hips.

He gave a long sigh, and turned his back at the mirror.

There was no point in staring at his image - he knew he looked like Hell, but it only reflected his inner self.

Four days it had been now, since Margot had-

He shook his head, unable to finish the sentence even in his mind.

 _Don't go there. Don't think about that, not now._

 _Just get your shit together and get dressed._

But getting dressed would require that he opened the wardrobe, and it felt like opening the box of Pandora.

Every item in his wardrobe reminded him of Margot. The suit he had bought in Milano, after she'd told him he looked 'smoking hot' in it. The tie Margot had gotten him for his 50th birthday. The shirt, they had picked together at the Massimo Dutti store in Brussels, which Margot had loved, for it had pink stripes. Myers had never worn it to work, but on many occasions at home, for he loved the way Margot ripped it off him in the bedroom.

And then, there were Margot's cloths.

It was unbearable to see her dressed on the hangers, to feel their scent - no, her scent in them. The, oh so painfully familiar odor of roses and cinnamon, that he loved, that he craved to inhale - in fear that it would fade now that she was gone, and that he would eventually forget it.

He knew he couldn't keep Margot's stuff forever, but he could not think of getting rid of it either.

How could he throw away the book that was still on the nightstand?

Margot had died without finishing it. She had loved that damn fantasy novel, and now she would never know how it ended, and that thought was enough to bring foul taste to Myers' lips.

It was so unfair, so unbearably unfair, that he could not take it. He couldn't even think about it.

And thus, he let the book be. As he let every other item in the house too, her coffee mug on the kitchen counter top, the pen and the papers on her desk, her umbrella on the porch, her shoes on the floor of their bedroom, her pale green dress that was still laid on the chair, hair hairbrush, with some of her hair still tangled in it, on the dressing table, her toothbrush in the bathroom cupboard, her herbal shampoo in the shower, her scent in the bed sheets - that he knew he'd _never_ change now, not as long as he could still inhale her odour when desperately waiting for the sleep to come, fighting back tears.

He knew he could never make himself to throw away all these memories of Margot.

But likewise he knew, that Margot would call him 'wussy' and probably haunt him until the rest of his days, if he didn't.

Though, he had to admit, he had prayed for Margot to haunt him, for her to show herself to him in these past days he had spent alone in their home, in the horrible loneliness and darkness she had left behind. He had shouted her name out loud, cursed and cried, but she had not come. No matter how much he had begged, there had been no sight of her.

Which probably meant she rested at peace. It was selfish to hope that she wouldn't, but Myers could not help himself.

 _If I could just see her, just once. Just one time, I would-_

But just then a loud 'bamf' interrupted his troubled thoughts, making him start.

"Kat!" He groaned. "For fuck's sake, can't you just use the doorbell?!"

"Sorry, Boss." Kat said, and raised an eyebrow to Myers' half nakedness. "How was I supposed to know you were not decent? Besides, this is urgent."

"It damn well better be. Just turn around so I can get dressed."

Kat did as she was told, even if turning around only made her face the large mirror on the wall. She could clearly see how Myers began to unwrap the towel around his hips. Graciously Kat decided to close her eyes.

"So, spit it out. Why are you in my bedroom 7.30 am, Kat?"

Kat noticed the tense tone in Myers' voice. She wondered, not for the first time, how was he really holding up.

"You got any sleep?" she inquired.

"Enough."

"Good." she gave a sharp nod. "Since you're going to need all the wits you got. They got him."

She heard Myer's sharp, surprised gasp behind her.

"You mean-?"

"Yeah." Kat stated. "Jay and Andu. They brought Lucien to the HQ a few minutes ago, I came to you asap."

"How did they find him?" Myers' voice was tense as a string. "Where-"

Kat shrugged. "How should I know? I'm here, not talking with them. Thought someone should get you."

"Yeah… thanks."

"No problem."

Kat was silent for a short while, and took a peek at the mirror, noticing Myers was already wearing pants, and buttoning up his white shirt. It felt safe to turn around.

"Did someone interrogate him already?" Myers asked while tying his tie, giving Kat a glance. "Did he say anything?"

"Not that I know off." Kat shook her head. "He's all yours, Boss."

"Good." he muttered, and there was something in his voice that made Kat shiver.

Something cold and sharp, an edge of ruthlessness that she had not heard before.

There was a different man in front of her now. He still wore the marks of exhaustion and sorrow on his face, but there was something new in him. Something resolute, decided. The look in his eyes was dark as night, and suddenly it made Kat nervous.

In silence she observed as Myers walked to his nightstand, and picked up his gun. He made sure it was loaded, before tucking it to his belt.

"I'm ready. Take me to him."

* * *

Myers stepped into a small interrogation room, followed by Kat.

Abe was there, and Red too - the concerned look in the eyes of his friends told Myers just how bad he must be looking, but he couldn't have cared less.

For in the middle of the room, was the devil who had ripped his soul apart.

On his knees, on the floor, his hands tied behind his back, guarded by two blue skinned brothers, Lucien still managed to look cool and unbothered, and Myers hated him for that. He seemed to be everything Myers was not - young, beautiful and unconcerned.

He looked up, and noticing Myers on the door, he smirked.

A rage, unlike anything Myers had ever felt, boiled his heart, filled his bloodstream and made his hands shake.

"Leave us." he breathed, not turning his eyes from Lucien.

A moment of silence followed his words.

"But Boss-" said Kat. "That's not-"

"I said, leave us!" Myers snapped, his voice breaking, and this time no one argued. One by one his friends walked to the door, passing him on the doorway. Hellboy stopped shortly, to place his hand on Myers' shoulder - a comforting, brotherly gesture.

But Myers was in a place, where no comfort could find him. There was no peace for him, no rest, he knew. The one thing that remained, was revenge.

He waited until everyone had left the room, even Jay, who was the last to leave.

Lucien's cold, blue eyes revealed nothing, when Myers stepped closer to him.

"It's been some time." the vampire noted. "A decade, perhaps?"

"More."

"Huh." Lucien did an attempt to shrug, but it was difficult, since his hands were cuffed behind his back. "Time goes so fast when you've lived long enough."

"If you call that living." Myers snapped back. "I wouldn't."

"You're a child. You know nothing."

Myers did not reply. He knew better than to get into a verbal duel with a centuries old vampire. Besides, he could not care less of what he had to say. There was only one thing he needed to know. Only one answer that he wanted to get.

"Why?" he asked, his voice almost failing him. "Why Margot?"

Something flashed in Lucien's eyes, something red, like flames or blood behind a thin layer of ice.

"If I tell you, will you let me go?"

"Never."

"Thought so." Lucien stated, still as calm and collected as ever. "Doesn't hurt to ask, though."

"Just answer the question."

"Why Margot?" Lucien made a small laugh. "You want to know why I killed her?"

"You _murdered_ her. And yeah, you're going to tell me why."

"Because someone paid me." Lucien replied, but something in his voice, or a slight change in his posture caught Myers' eye. He wasn't telling the truth, or at least not the whole truth.

"Paid you, or threatened you?" he asked, his voice suddenly silent.

"You're ridiculous." Lucien lashed. "Not many things out there are capable of threatening me."

"I can think of a few." Myers shrugged. "And not all of them have blue skin."

"Your precious friends, the blue half breeds." Lucien rolled his eyes. "I must say I was surprised to find out what kind of company Margot was keeping. She had so much more style back then."

Myers tasted rage, blood on his lips, and he had to dig his fingernails into his palms in order to stay calm.

"Style? As if hanging out with vampires to get sucked was classy?."

"Oh, so you knew about that?" Lucien laughed. "And that's what really burns you, is it not? Not the fact that I _killed_ your wife, but the fact that I had her first. And what a little firebrand she was back then, a feisty creature. Her taste was sweet on my lips, but sweeter still was to take her life-"

Myers slapped him on the face, so hard that his long, blond hair flew in the air around his head.

Until now he had managed to act as he should've. As an agent, as an interrogator. But enough was enough. His anger lashed through him like an electric shock, followed by pain that cut through his heart like a spear and took his breath away.

"Shut up!" he groaned. "Shut up, you piece of-"

But Lucien laughed, shook his head and raised his face to look at Myers again.

"You told me to answer the question. I can't do that if I shut up, can I?"

"Then save the bullshit and give me the answer! Why did you kill Margot." Myers' voice was dark as night, as black as sky without stars. "Who told you to do it?"

"You can hit me all you want, but I'll never tell."

"We'll see about that." Myers pulled out his gun, and pointed it at Lucien. "Tell me, or I'll pull the trigger."

"You can't be serious." Lucien snorted. "You know that thing won't kill me."

"Yeah, you bet I do. But it'll hurt like Hell."

He fired, and the sound ripped the air, making his ears ring.

A bullet hole in Lucien's chest was steaming, and dark - almost black - blood stained his shirt. He cursed and grimaced, blood dripping to his lips.

"Silver bullets..!" Lucien hissed, his cool now completely gone.

"I've been in the business long enough." Myers pointed the gun again at the vampire. "Now, answer the question or I'll shoot you again."

"Come on! Just kill me already!"

"So, there _is_ a way to threaten you?" Myers stated. "I thought as much. And don't worry, I'll definitely kill you as soon as you'll tell me what I need to know."

He waited for a few heartbeats, but the creature gave him no answer.

"Fine, suit yourself." Myers shrugged. He fired the gun again, and for a third time, this time aiming for Lucien's arms - on the way he had shot Margot.

Myers could not deny the pleasure he got, when seeing the vampire in pain, his pale lips thin and stretched revealing his bloodied fangs, hearing the raspy sounds of agony that escaped his throat.

But it did nothing to dull the unbearable ache that lived inside of his soul, the pain of having lost his heart. Torturing Lucien could not heal him. Killing Lucien would not heal him, he realized now. It would bring him some sense of justice, but nothing more.

It would not bring Margot back.

That thought filled his soul with ink, and painted his world black. For a moment he felt like suffocating, before he managed to push all thought of Margot to the furthest corner of his mind, to a place that could not reach to him right now.

Lucien was still spitting blood to the floor in front of him, and he was no closer to knowing who had claimed Margot's life. The job was far from over.

He took a step back and turned his back at the vampire, allowing himself a short moment to get his emotions under control. When he finally turned back to look at Lucien, there was no sign of his inner torment on his face.

Slowly he walked back to Lucien, grabbed his hair and yanked his face up.

"Ready to tell me now, or you want some more silver into your body?"

His eyes were still like ice, light blue and freezing to look at. But Myers saw the ice was breaking, and he knew he had won.

"The blood queen." Lucien breathed.

"The blood queen?"

"Yes…" his voice was raspy, thinned by pain, but Myers didn't let go of him. His grip on Lucien's hair was hard and remorseless.

"What's her name?"

A moment of silence, fear in Lucien's eyes.

"Her name!" Myers hissed, pressing the gun to Lucien's temple. "Spit it out!"

"I don't know her name, alright! She is a Goddess, that much I know. And she wanted Margot dead. She said…"

"She said what?"

"That it was payback time."

And then he knew.

It hit Myers like a wrecking ball, and all air left his lungs.

He was back in the hotel room in Mexico city, and the woman with golden eyes was looking straight through him. He remembered the glow of her hair, the chiming of her voice, the bullet that had turned into a hummingbird, and the paralyzing fear he had felt in front of her. The fear of losing Margot forever.

After two decades, she had won.

"But… but… she was killed!" Myers could hardly speak. He had let go of Lucien, taken a few steps back. "We killed her!"

"You can't kill a goddess." Lucien replied. "Not really."

The blood on the bed, the hole in her chest, the lifeless body, the heart in Kat's hand. He had thought it was the end of it.

" _You can't kill a goddess."_ Lucien's words echoed in his ears and they seem to mock him.

"No. But I can kill you."

Myers reached for the stake he had kept in the inside pocket of his suit jacket since he had first seen Lucien's face in the security tape. The smooth surface of the polished, wooden stake felt cool in his hand, but it gave him no pleasure to drive it through Lucien's heart.

The vampire gasped, seemed to froze - and then turned to ashes.

Myers didn't even look back as he walked to the door, pulled it open and left the room.

Kat tried to stop him, and Hellboy said something, but he didn't slow down to listen.

There was nothing they could say to him, that would make any difference.

He brushed off the ash on his shoulders, and walked out of the building, out to the unbearable brightness of a beautiful spring morning. The sunlight on his face was nothing but a reminder of all the things he had lost.

The wind of the early morning was still cold, and made him shiver, but he just kept on walking.

He knew he wasn't going to come back any time soon.


	64. Part IV: End of an Era

**Part IV: Streamline**

 **Chapter: End of an Era**

* * *

The next day Myers didn't show up in work. Kat was worried, and thus cranky to everyone who dared to approach her.

"I think we should check on him." she kept on insisting, when sitting down to have some afternoon tea in Broom's library with Red, Abe, Jay and Andu. "He left without a word yesterday, and I haven't heard from him since. Except for that one email, where he sent his report."

Hellboy raised an eyebrow.

"Just let him be. I'm sure he just needs some time to himself after… you know."

"Yes." stated Abe. "It must have been a shock for John, to find out who was behind Margot's death. We are all shaken by it. I can imagine he needs to ponder on it for a while."

"You're not hearing me!" Kat snapped. "That's all the more reason not to leave him alone!"

"It's not leaving him alone, but giving him some privacy." Andu said. "The past days have been hard for him. It might be, that only after what happened yesterday, John can finally face his grief. It'll do him good to take a few days off."

"Yeah, we can start investigating this Goddess case, even if the Boss is not in the office." stated Jay.

Kat shrugged, but couldn't shake off the feeling that something wasn't right.

"Alright, maybe so. But I still think someone should check on him. This thing isn't over as long as that bitch of a Goddess is still around. Something might have happened to Myers."

A short moment of silence followed Kat's words.

"You might have a point." Andu said finally, with a dark tone. "I can go, with Jay, just to make sure."

"No, I'll do it." Kat replied. "Besides, if he's thinking about doing something stupid…"

She didn't want to finish that sentence. That if Myers was about to kill himself, it would be better if it was her reasoning with him, than the twins.

"Why do you speak of such a thing?." Andu stated. "I doubt John would harm himself."

"You think?" Hellboy raised an eyebrow. "We found him pointing a gun at his head, after Margot was killed."

"Really?" asked Abe, and blinked his black eyes a few times. "I knew he was mourning, but-"

"Nah, he's not going to kill himself." Jay stated matter of factly. "Not as long as that damn Goddess is on the loof. That doesn't mean you shouldn't check on him, though, sis. You definitely should."

Only a few moments later, Kat materialized in front of Myers' front door - and this time obediently pressed the doorbell.

She waited for a while, but no one came, nothing moved except for her own reflection on the window, as she pulled her black hair behind her ear trying to take a peek through the glass. Her image made her frown - with her pale skin, and the extra dark shadows under her eyes, she looked more dead than alive.

But that was to be expected, she thought. Myers wasn't the only one who'd had a rough past few days.

Kat had barely slept last night, even if sleeping was usually easy for her. But now… she had laid on her bed, awake and restless, stared at the darkness, listening to Red's peaceful snoring. A few times a thought had hit her, that she should pick up the phone and call Margot, that perhaps she was awake too - and then, the painful realization that it was impossible. That she could never call Margot again, never hear her voice on the other end of the line, her laughter that had always made her feel better, no matter what.

Kat reached to press the doorbell again.

The house was eerily quiet, and Kat tasted the fear on her lips.

It was bad enough to lose Margot, but if they lost Myers too-

 _Don't think about that! Not yet. Just get inside and find that moron!_

Kat left the front porch and went around the house, to the back door.

All too well Kat remembered as Myers and Margot had bought this house, twenty years ago. It was on a peaceful neighbourhood, not too far from BPRD, a cosy yellow house with enough room to raise a family. On the back yard there was a nice little garden and a swimming pool for sunny days.

Margot had refused to raise her kids in 'the dungeon' as she sometimes called BPRD. The house was lovely, a real family home. You could see Margot's touch in every part of it - the overgrown lawn of the garden, the horrible little garden gnomes on the back porch, the old and worn furniture on the porch, where she and Kat had sat on many nights having a beer and talking about everything there was, of love and dreams and hopes and fears, of all the things Kat knew she now had no one to talk to.

And suddenly it hit her - the unbearable loneliness of being immortal.

This was the first time she had lost someone she'd truly loved, and it felt worse than she could've imagined. It was like she'd swallowed a dagger, and it took her breath away.

 _Don't think about that, not now! What's the matter with you, stay focused, damn it!_

She reached the back door, and tried it - to notice it was open. No need to teleport inside.

"Boss?"

Her voice sounded somehow too loud on the too quiet house, and it stirred her nerves. No one answered, as she stepped inside and walked to the kitchen, calling for Myers again.

There was a cup of coffee on the kitchen counter top, that told Kat that Myers had been up and about at least this morning, which was a relief. But there were other things too, that Kat noticed.

Margot's spiderman sweater on a chair, a magazine and a half eaten chocolate bar on the table, her hairbrush and a lipstick on the desk of the hall, her shoes on the floor… it was clear that Myers hadn't moved any of her stuff, and it made Kat feel weird.

Yeah, it had only been five days, but still. A half eaten chocolate bar? Kat picked it up, and threw it to the garbage bin. She'd have to talk with Myers about Margot's things before the twins returned home from Hamburg. It would do no good to them, to see the house like this.

Turning her thoughts to more pressing concerns, she walked through the empty rooms towards the staircase. She sure didn't like the fact that there still was no answer to her calls.

"Boss, you here?" she inquired, as reaching upstairs, but still no one answered.

She searched every room, before finding Myers on the bathroom.

He was sitting on the floor, surrounded by dirty laundry, holding something in his hands, something that looked like Margot's blouse. And he was crying.

He cried so hard, that his whole body was shaking, his shoulders trembling. Tears ran down his unshaven face to his neck, his nose was running and his eyes red and swollen.

Immediately Kat realized, she shouldn't have come.

A man crying like this… it was a private matter. It wasn't meant for her to see, and she surely didn't know how to handle it. Damn, she wished it was Red who was here now!

She made a split second decision, to teleport away, but just as she was about to, Myers looked up from his hands and noticed her standing on the door.

"Christ, Kat!" Myers cursed. "How many times do I have to tell you to use the doorbell?!"

"Hey!" Kat protested. "I did! You didn't answer."

Myers shrugged, and tried to get his crying under control. For a while he sobbed, wiped his running nose to his sleeve and closed his eyes, leaning his back against the wall.

Kat went through her pockets, to find a napkin. Luckily there was a clean one, that she could pass to Myers. She waited for him to clean his face before speaking up.

"I'm sorry… but you didn't show up at work today. We were worried."

Myers sniffed, and shook his head.

"Like I've been of any use in there, being like this."

"You could've called. Or at least answer the phone when I called."

He gave a long sigh.

"Yeah… you're right, I guess. I'm sorry."

Kat sat down by his side and tried to give a small smile. It felt phony on her lips.

"Well, it's good to see that you're okay. I was afraid that something had happened to you."

"Okay?" Myers gave her a sideways glance. "You call _this_ being okay?"

Kat made a face.

"Well… I thought you'd be feeling a bit better after yesterday. You did waste Lucien."

"Yeah, that… It was a revenge, nothing more. It's not gonna change the fact that Margot's never coming back."

"I know. It's just… it still doesn't feel real somehow. I can't get it, you know."

Myers was silent for a while, and he looked like he was about to start crying again. His fingers clenched tight on Margot's blue blouse, so that his knuckles went white. When he finally spoke up, his voice was thin and stretched, like a rubber band that's about to snap.

"Feels real enough to me."

Kat didn't say a thing. What was she supposed to say to a thing like that? Again she wished that Red was here - he could take Myers to have a beer and do something guys did when everything was miserable, something that included a lot of beer and not that much talking.

Or maybe she should've brought Abe.

Abe was a talker, he would've known what to say.

He would've known what to answer to what Myers said next.

"I feel like… I feel like I should just kill myself."

"Come on!" Kat exhaled. "We've been through this already. I'm _never_ gonna let you do that stupid ass thing!"

"I know." Myers shrugged. "And I wouldn't… for Sean and Amy. But I would want to."

"Yeah."

That was all Kat could say. She understood alright, she had seen Myers by Margot's dead body, had seen how he pressed the gun on his temple.

They sat silently for a long while now. The only sounds in the room were the silent sniffs Myers still made, his uneven breathing. He kept holding Margot's blouse, feeling the texture with his fingers, as if it was the most precious thing he had ever held. The rest of the laundry basket's contents were still scattered all over the floor, and Kat did her best not to pay attention to it.

"You know, I'm nothing without her." Myers finally broke the silence.

It wasn't self pity, it wasn't drama - he stated it as a fact, as something that just needed to be said.

"That's not true, John."

Myers didn't even notice, that Kat had done the rare thing to call him by his first name.

"It is. All that there was good in me, she took with her. There's nothing left, Kat."

"That's ridiculous!" Kat argued. "You were awesome before you ever met her, and you're going to be awesome again, when you get back to your feet. Just give it some time! You can't expect to feel normal so soon, after-"

"You don't understand." Myers interrupted her. "You can't. It's not like with normal people. We shared _everything_. Our thoughts… our hearts. Souls too, if such a thing exists. She was the better half of me, and now that she's gone… what's left but an empty shell?"

"You're not an empty shell, but you are an idiot!" Kat snapped. "I get it, alright! I do. But you were my friend before you met Margot, and I _know_ you. I know this is bad, but you can get through this. You are a great guy, and you are my friend. You're not alone!"

But it felt like talking to a wall.

Myers kept staring at his hands, at Margot's blouse, and silently shook his head. His face was pale, the shadows under his eyes dark, and he looked way older than his years.

"Kat, I've been thinking…" he said after a few moments.

"What is it?"

"It's better that I won't come to work for a while. I'm going to take some time off."

"What!?" Kat was shocked. "You can't do that! We just found out who was behind Margot's murder! You can't just leave now, we need to catch that bitch and kill her for good!"

"Come on, Kat!" Myers snapped. There was so much desperation in his voice, that it managed to shut Kat up. "We _can't_ kill her! You know we can't! We've tried that two times already, and she keeps bouncing back. She is a Goddess. She is immortal. There's no way to permanently finish her."

Kat was angry now, angry at Myers, angry at Margot for being dead and leaving her here with that idiot of a man, and most of all angry at that goddamn Goddess who just wouldn't stay dead, no matter how many times they wasted her!

"I'm immortal, you know." Kat stated. "And I can be killed."

"That's different and you know it. You have a body."

"So does that bitch, again, otherwise she wouldn't be causing us trouble! She stayed dormant for thousands of years before that horrid Connelly fucked everything up. And then, it took her 20 years to get back here after I ripped her heart out, so even if we can't kill her, we can slow her down. For another 2000 years, if we're lucky."

"Seriously, Kat. When are we ever lucky?"

That remark almost made Kat smile, but just almost.

"Seriously, Myers. You can't leave. You are the Boss!"

"Yeah, and I'm incapable of doing my job right now. I managed to keep myself together until yesterday, but now… I'm a mess. I cannot stay here, Kat. I cannot stay in this house. I see her everywhere, I hear her voice in the shadows, and I can't sleep. It drives me crazy, and how am I going to help my kids if I lose my mind? I have to go, and I have to go now." his face was hard as a stone now, like marble, and he sounded so resolute Kat knew she had lost.

"But… Myers, come on! Who's going to lead this investigation if you leave? Who do you think is capable of getting Jay under control? Who can get Red to work by the book? You can't leave this on Abe - he's invaluable, but he's no Boss."

"But you are." Myers replied. "You can do all that, and you will. I'm assigning you as my replacement, until I'm fit to work again."

Kat was speechless. It took her ages to manage to form any words.

"You can't be serious!"

"And yet I am."

"Me?!" Kat gave him a stare. "As the Director? Really?"

"Who else?" Myers shrugged. "You said it yourself. No one else can get Jay or Red to work. Besides, I'll be back - someday. I just don't know when. So don't you dare to get too comfortable behind my desk."

"I can use your desk?! I can use your office!? I've never had an office before!"

Myers went through his pockets, and pulled out a set of keys. "There you go, it's yours. But try not to make a mess. Don't eat pizza while using the computer. And please, don't let Jay alone in there."

Kat raised an eyebrow. "Do I want to know why?"

"Trust me, you don't." Myers replied. "So, it's a deal then?"

She stared at the keys dumbstruck for a moment, but then her curiosity got the better of her, and she snatched the set off Myer's fingers.

The keys were small, an ordinary looking set, but they felt heavy on her palm. She could almost feel the responsibilities weighing her hand down. Instantly she felt more serious, more adult somehow, and it was both exciting and terrifying.

"We have a deal." she said, still looking at the keys. "And your part of it, is coming back to us. You can promise to do that?"

"I promise."

"And call us, once in a while?"

Myers gave a sigh. "Fine, I'll call you. But only if it's important, and that goes both ways. I'll have my cellphone, and you can contact me - but only if it's about that Goddess. The everyday business, I won't want to hear."

"So… where will you go? What will you do? And what about Sean and Amy, what are you going to tell them?"

Myers gave an exasperated sigh.

"To the first two questions, I don't know yet… but the kids? I've already told them. I called Amy."

"And what did she say?"

"That they're fine in Hamburg, and will stay there for some time. It's better that way… they don't want to be here either."

"Okay." Kat said.

Suddenly she felt very small, and very tired.

"Kat… what are you still doing here?" Myers asked after a few moments. "You're the Boss now. You can't afford to sit on the bathroom floor moping."

Kat made a small, halfhearted smile, and got up on her feet.

"Fine, I'll get off your hair, Boss."

"No, you're the Boss now." Myers replied, dead serious.

Kat offered him her hand, and helped him up. Their eyes met, and for a few heartbeats they just looked at each other, friends for over two decades. Suddenly Kat noticed just how much Myers had aged, that he was no kid anymore. The soft skin of his face had turned harder, there were so many scars, and lines and wrinkles around his eyes and his mouth. His stubble and his hair were turning gray.

Kat knew that she still looked like the 20 something year old girl she had, when she'd first stepped into the BPRD headquarters and met Myers.

She didn't age, she didn't change. She would not die, not of sickness or old age.

Suddenly that thought wasn't so uplifting. Instead it brought a foul taste to her lips, and made her heart ache.

It was the dagger she had swallowed, and it kept eating her alive. Was this how it was going to be from now on? That she would have to sit and watch, as everyone she held dear would grow old and die?

It wasn't like her to get emotional, but she just couldn't stop the tears that flooded her eyes.

"Hey, Kat… don't cry." Myers said, his voice soft and gentle. "I can take many things, but not that."

Kat wiped her eyes, and made a small laugh.

"Who's crying? Not me! I'm awesome."

"Yeah, you are." he said, and she knew he meant it. "Now, get going before BPRD falls apart."

She wanted to say many things to him, but hey all sounded cliche in her head, so she decided not to say a thing. A wave of her hand, and the last glance of Myers - who was still holding Margot's cloth, and she closed her eyes.

A loud 'bamf', a cloud of blue smoke, and she was gone.

* * *

 **This is it! The part IV ends here! I do appreciate every single review, so please take time to leave me one.**

 **There will be a part V, so stay tuned. :)**


	65. Part IV: Help

**I am back!**

 **A year without writing, a year that I struggled with everything. I have been very sick, and it is a miracle I am alive now. But I am, I am alive and I am writing again. Bless this day, for I thought it would never come.**

 **I hope you enjoy this short bit - I hope I can keep on writing now.**

* * *

 **Part IV: Streamline**

 **Chapter: Help**

* * *

Six months.

Six months Myers had spent chasing ghosts and ending up with nothing more than what he had left with. Vampire dust on his hands, darkness in his soul and no more leads to chase.

Weeks he had spent in Uganda, after hearing rumors about a goddess that had a taste for blood, but it had turned out to be nothing more than a local witch. Two months he had wasted in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, following a trail of slaughtered young men, but it annoyingly been just an ordinary serial killer. Three weeks in Paris, hunting down a pack of vampires, and after all that trouble, none of them had known a thing about the Goddess who had wanted Margot dead.

And of course Mexico. That's where Myers had spent the most of this past six months. After all, that was the original home of the Goddess, that was where she had first ruled thousands of years ago, and that was where she had been reborn.

But nothing. He had been able to find _nothing_ that could lead him to Margot's killer, nothing that would tell him who had resurrected the Goddess, where and when had it happened and most importantly, where was that immortal bitch now and how could Myers waste her - this time for good.

He had spent a night at Teotihuacan. Walked down the stairs under the Pyramid of the Moon, down the tunnels until he had reached that wretched chamber where Beatrix Connelly had held him prisoner twenty years ago. He had sat down there, leaning his wall to the same stone pillar he had been tied down back then, staring at the spot where Connelly had performed the ritual to awaken the Goddess - but the chamber had been empty and dead, silent as a grave that it was, filled with shadows and darkness, and memories that ripped Myers' heart to pieces, but nothing more.

Nothing more.

If it truly was the Goddess who had ordered to kill Margot, she was doing a kick ass job at hiding. Not at all her style, thought Myers. The last time she had hardly tried to hide the murderous path she had been on, living on the penthouse suites and wearing gold and diamonds. Though, that had lead to BPRD finding her rather quickly, and ripping the heart out of her vessel - which had probably been the first time for her. So maybe she had learnt from her mistakes.

Or maybe Myers was chasing ghosts, and it hadn't been the Goddess at all who had ordered Margot's murder. Maybe the vampire Lucien had lied. Vampires weren't exactly ones to be known for their honesty.

Myers cursed out loud and laid his head to his hands.

His face was unshaven, and he knew he should have taken a shower this morning, but he hadn't - and actually he hadn't done that the day before either. His shirt was wrinkled, there were stains of dust and worse stuff on the sleeves of his jacket and cuts and bruises on his hands. He felt like a wreck, and knew that he looked like that too. A long sigh left his lips, as he grabbed the bottle of beer and brought it to his lips.

Drinking didn't make things better, but at least it made him fall asleep a bit easier. Without boos or drugs it was all but impossible, for all he could see when he closed his eyes, was -

 _Don't think about that! Don't think about her. She's gone and she's never coming back._

But that was useless. He thought about Margot all the time, no matter how hard he tried not to. There wasn't enough beer in the world to erase her image from his mind.

He emptied his bottle, and raised a hand to signal the bartender.

"Another one?" The bald man behind the counter asked.

Myers gave a tired nod. "Yeah, please. One more."

"Alright." The bottle appeared on the counter, the empty one was removed. "A hard day at the office?"

"A hard six months at the office." Myers muttered. He really wasn't on the mood for a chit chat - he never was now days. Margot had always been the one good at that, not him, and now without her, everything was a struggle. Even ordering a bottle of beer.

"Sorry to hear that." the man answered. "Just let me know if you want something else."

"Sure, thanks." Myers muttered, and grabbed the bottle. He knew he probably should eat something, but he was just too tired to even think about food. He had arrived to London just this morning, and was still jetlagged as fuck.

Just then his phone made a sound.

Myers flipped the phone around and opened it. Great. It was Kat (again).

"Myers you still alive?"

Myers rolled his eyes and gave a sigh. This had been a repeating pattern for the past few months. Kat sending him these text to check up on him.

"Yes." he texted back.

Only a couple of seconds later the phone buzzed again.

"Cool. When are you coming home?"

Myers bit his lip and put the phone back down, took a sip of his beer.

Kat had asked that question of him multiple times these past weeks, and he still had no answer for her. But he knew better than to not answer Katharine Wagner. Cursing under his breath, he picked up the phone again, and started typing.

"Is BPRD on fire?"

Kat answered almost immediately.

"It might be! Come home kid, this has been fun (NOT), but enough is enough."

"Any leads on Margot's killer?" Myers wrote. That was the only thing he wanted to know. The only reason he had given his new phone number to BPRD a few months ago - something he now regretted more than a little.

"I would have told you if there were."

Myers gave a sigh and turned off his phone. He really, really wasn't on the mood. He had become to London for a reason, and it wasn't to argue with Kat over pointless things. He had come to London, for these past six months had though him that this was a task that was bigger than one man.

There was no way he was able to solve this case alone. And yet, there was no way he was ready to return to BPRD - if he ever would be.

He needed help.


	66. Part IV: Homesickness

**Just a few words, dear readers.**

 **There are some things I picked up from the new Hellboy movie - but as it is a reboot of Hellboy's story, it really doesn't fit into my timeline as such. That's why I only took some bits, like a few characters that I liked a lot, but not much else. So don't try to figure out how the storyline of the new film fits into my fic, because it doesn't.**

 **And also, sorry for the bad writing (I want to add a crying emoji here). I am still a bit rusty after almost dying, but it is what it is. Only one way up, huh?**

* * *

 **Part IV: Streamline**

 **Chapter: Home Sickness**

* * *

It had taken a sleeping pill or two for Myers to finally fall asleep that night, and maybe it was because of the drugs or maybe it was just the three beers he'd had before, but for once he had slept without nightmares.

He decided to take that as a good sign. Hell, he was in serious need of those, and there weren't plenty around.

Still, it was a struggle to get out of the bed, and pull open the curtains of his hotel room window to reveal the horrors of England in November. It was raining cats and dogs, and the only thing that was darker than his soul was the color of the clouds looming over the city.

He gave a sigh and ran his fingers through his hair, staring absentmindedly out of the window. No matter how he had slept - he was always tired nowadays. It was like losing Margot had killed something inside of him. His vigor was gone, his energy non-existent.

He took his phone from the nightstand to check the messages. Luckily there were none from Kat this time, but instead one from Amy, and Myers felt the immediate pang of guilt in his chest.

He swiped the screen to read it.

"I miss you dad. R U okay? Call me!"

Myers bit his lip, hesitated a moment before answering.

"Everything's okay. I'm in London, will call you later."

No matter that the twins were over twenty now, they were still his children. Myers would always think of them as they had been the day they were born, as newborns, their blue eyes so full of wonder, their little bodies so incredibly soft and vulnerable and fragile in his arms. They were, and would always be, the thing he loved most in this world - and he knew without a doubt that he had failed them. He had _double_ failed them - first by getting Margot killed, and then by leaving them when they most needed him.

But just as well he knew he wasn't in any state to help anyone.

 _How can you help someone, if you feel helpless?_

 _If only Margot was here. She would know what to do. She would know how to—._

He shook his head, fought back the tears.

Old habits die hard. Unlike people. He had lost enough friends and loved ones to know, that people died easily.

Putting his phone back down on the nightstand, Myers made a mental Note to call Amy after he had taken care of today's business - even if he didn't have any good news to give. Even if it was just to make sure she didn't start hating him too, like Sean did.

After a shower, shaving his face and getting dressed, he looked a lot better than last night, at least. Though in honesty, that wasn't much.

The mirror of his hotel bathroom ruthlessly revealed the high cheekbones under pale, stretched skin, the dark circles under his eyes, that were a permanent thing these days. When tightening his belt, he noticed he had lost weight, which made him frown. His shirt felt baggy as well, when he buttoned it up. There wasn't any fat to lose in his lean frame, so it must be muscle that he had lost. That wasn't a good thing, surely, he realized. He could almost hear Kat's voice nagging in his head, yelling that he should be eating more (as always) and HB telling him to stop moping around and go to the gym.

A sudden rush of homesickness flashed through his core and made him grimace. He hated these wretched hotel rooms, this suitcase life. He wished nothing more than for it to be possible for him to go home, to embrace his children, to sit down and have nachos and beer with HB and Kat, to watch a movie and just relax and everything would be like before.

Except that nothing would ever be like before.

Margot was dead, and there was no home for him to return to. No movie nights with friends, no nachos, no relaxation, not ever for he had lost his soul and wished to die.

He knew he could never go home. He could never go back. All there was, was revenge - and then—

What then?

Myers looked in the mirror. The haunted look in his eyes, the tiredness in his posture, the scars on his face. He was worn, he was exhausted, he was older than his years.

There was only one course of action he could think of, after he had finished this business with that bloody goddess. No matter he had promised Kat that he wouldn't do it, no matter that it would be the third time he failed his children, it was still in his mind every moment of every day of his cursed existence.

The sweet release, the unending oblivion.

Suicide.

* * *

It was almost noon, when he finally made it to the address he'd searched from the BPRD database. The weather was still abominable, his umbrella long ago having succumbed under the gusts of wind, the rain now soaked his hair and his jacket all the way through - but still he hesitated before stepping inside.

The Fish and Chips place just wasn't what he'd been expecting - the greasy stench of deep fried fast food felt too _real_ \- but of course, it had to be so.

It wasn't like BPRD headquarters were very welcoming - or forthcoming - either.

Myers made up his mind, and stepped inside, the wind slamming the door shut behind him, making a lady behind the counter look up from the pieces of fish floating in the frying oil. Her face was worn, her short hair dyed blonde, and she had the look of someone being bored beyond imagination.

Which, of course, was probably just an act.

"Hey." Myers cleared his throat. "I need to see someone who's in charge here, please."

"In charge of what?"

"In charge of the M11 headquarters."

"I need an ID, love."

Myers raised an eyebrow. It had been some time since he'd been called 'love' by anyone.

"Sure, just a second."

There was water dripping from his hair to his forehead, and he swiped it off before taking the BPRD ID from the inside pocket of his jacket, and handing it over the counter. A pool of water was forming under him on the tiled floor, but either the woman didn't notice, or (as Myers suspected) she didn't care.

"Wow. Hardly recognizable." she commented, when checking the ID and comparing it to his face. "BPRD, huh? What brings you all the way to London?"

"Not fast food." Myers noted dryly. "So, can I speak to someone now?"

"Behind you."

Myers turned around, to notice a lift door opening on the opposite wall. He glanced at the lady by the counter, but she had already turned her attention back to the deep frier.

So, maybe the 'bored beyond imagination' wasn't just an act after all.

"Which floor?" he asked, nevertheless.

"There's only one way down, love." The lady stated. "Just press the button."

 _Fine, whatever._ Myers rolled his eyes. Customer service really wasn't any better here than it was on BPRD.

He stepped into the lift, and pressed the button as he had been told.

But there was, surprisingly, someone on the basement floor meeting him. A man, maybe a few years younger than Myers himself, of Asian features and very distinctive scar tissue on the left side of his face.

"John Myers?" the man stated, but didn't offer his hand. "I was told you wanted to meet someone who's in charge here."

Myers stepped out of the lift, wiped the dripping water off his forehead.

It only took one glance of the man standing in front of him, for Myers to realize who that was. It had to be Major Ben Daimio - there was no way there were more than one guy with such scars in M11.

"Yeah, that's me. And yes, I need to speak with you Major Daimio. Is there a place where we can discuss in private?"

Daimio raised his chin, observed Myers without any emotion, his hands folded on his chest. His gaze moved from Myers' soaked hair to his dripping jacket, to the briefcase he was holding in his right hand, to the pool of water that was forming on the floor in his feet.

Myers briefly hoped he didn't look as miserable as he felt, but then decided he really didn't give a fuck what Daimio thought of his appearance.

"Fine, follow me." Damio stated after a short eternity, turned around and signaled Myers to follow him.

They walked down the hallway to a nearby room, that was just as grey, plain and ugly as any room in BPRD was. So, Myers thought, bad customer service, scarred men and underground dungeons weren't the only things this place had in common with BPRD. That made him almost feel like home.

"Cosy." he noted, taking a seat.

Damio sat across the table, leaning forward.

"You hardly came all the way here to admire the decoration, Sir." Daimio stated.

"Major Daimio, may I be frank with you?"

"I encourage you to do so, Agent Myers. You are the Director of Operations in BPRD, for more than ten years. You must have a reason to be here."

"Honestly?" Myers shrugged. "I need help."

Damio stared at him silently for a few heartbeats, narrowing his dark, almond shaped eyes.

"And what kind of help can we give you, that your own resources can't?"

 _The luxury of not knowing me or my pain? Of not reminding me of Margot and her absence every single unbearable moment? Of not hating me for or my failures?_

"I have been taking some time off BPRD, for… personal reasons." Myers shrugged. "There's this case I have been working on, and I need a fresh angle. Maybe you guys can think of something I haven't. Get some new leads. Hellboy spoke very highly of you and your abilities."

Daimio stared at him, the stern look in his eyes reflecting nothing.

"And what is the case?"

"There's an ancient Mesoamerican Goddess on the loose, with a taste for blood, and I don't know where she is, how to find her or how to kill her. Interested?"

Daimio raised an eyebrow.

"You are not a very good salesman." he stated dryly.

"I am very much aware of that."

"Besides, I hate Mesoamerica."

"Well, I'm not asking you to befriend this Goddess. I am asking your help in eliminating her."

There was a moment of silence between them. Myers noticed how the muscles around Daimio's jaw went tight, as he considered Myers' words.

"Fine." He finally stated. "But not without your full honesty. I assume you have a file on this case, that I can look into?"

A sigh of relief left Myers' lips, and just then he realized how nervous, how scared he had been waiting for this man's answer.

"Yes, of course." he dug into his briefcase, and took out a huge pile of papers and folders. There was practically everything they had ever gathered of the Goddess, and of the things that had happened - both twenty years, and six months ago. The only thing he had left out, was Margot's name. He had blacked it out, made it look like the person who'd been killed by the vampire Lucien, was just another BPRD agent.

He didn't want these people to know the depth of his despair. No matter that Daimio had asked for his full honesty, there were simply some things Myers wasn't prepared to share.

"Here." he said, handing the folders to Daimio. "It's all I have. Take a look, and give me a call when you have a chance."

Damio stood up, taking the papers. It was obvious the meeting was over.

He opened the door, and signaled Myers to follow him out of the room. It wasn't until they had reached the lifts, that he stopped, and turned to look at Myers again.

"While I go through these- " he lifted the folder pile "-you could go and pay a visit to Alice Monaghan. See if she can tell you something."

"Alice Monaghan?" Myers asked.

"She's a powerful psychic medium." Damio stated, and pressed the lift button. "The lady on the desk will give you her address."

A psychic medium.

Suddenly Myers felt like there was a wind blowing right through him, and he forgot all about the case, all about the Goddess, all about the reasons that had brought him to London and to M11's doorsteps..

Mediums channeled Dead people.

Why hadn't he thought of this a long time ago?


	67. Part IV: All you hold dear

**Part IV: Streamline**

 **Chapter: All you hold dear**

* * *

Before Myers had even time to knock on the door, it opened and a face of a young girl with a lots of curly, dark hair and skin the color of cafe latte peeked out. It had to be Alice Monaghan. She seemed to be about the age of Amy and Sean - which immediately reminded Myers of the fact that he had promised to call Amy. He really, really should do that after this.

"Are you Myers?" Alice asked. "John Myers?"

"Yeah, that's me." Myers gave a half hearted smile. "Did Major Daimio tell I was coming?"

"Nope. I have other sources." Alice said, and opened the door wider. "So, you met Ben Daimio, then? He's a pain in the ass, I can tell you."

"Umm. Yes, I went to the Fish and Chips place, and he—"

"Yeah, Yeah, You coming in or not?" Alice stated, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, sure. I'm just—" he spread his hands to show the miserable state he was in. Walking another bit in the rain had done nothing to improve his condition.

"You look like shit - no offense. Just get in, and Let me put the kettle on."

Ten minutes later they were sitting at Alice's kitchen table - Myers his feet in borrowed but comfortable, warm slippers, holding a cup of steaming, dark, English tea in his hands. Even if he was still wet and shivering, he felt a bit better, for the first time in ages.

He glanced around, noticing all the signs of this being a room of a psychic or a fortune teller or just a person who's as crazy as a bag full of cats - tarot cards, crystal balls - and maybe the creepiest: two urns that were marked: 'Mom' and 'Dad'.

Experience had thought Myers that the vast majority of people who were claiming to be psychics, were actually fraud or just delusional, so he really didn't want to get his hopes up - but then again, Daimio had told Myers to meet Alice and something told Myers, Daimio wasn't the type of a guy to make practical jokes like that.

"Thanks for the tea." Myers said, turning his glance away from the urns on the wall, back to Alice. "You really didn't have to do that."

"No biggie. I was gonna have some myself anyways."

"How did you know I was coming? You opened the door before I could—"

"There aren't many things that surprise me." Alice shrugged. "You know, the upside of being a psychic."

"Or the down side?"

Alice laughed. "You're funny. I like that."

Myers couldn't help but to smile back. There was something very likable about Alice - or maybe it was just the fact that he was so lonely, had been so lonely and miserable for such a long time, that just talking to anyone made his heart warm.

He had forgotten how good it felt. To actually sit down and talk to someone over a cup of tea.

 _Don't get too comfortable_ , he told himself. _You're here for business, not for socializing._

He cleared his throat, took a sip of the hot beverage, that had a strong, bitter, earthly taste.

"Daimio sent me here to ask your advice on a case that's been particularly hard. To see if you could tell me where to find a Goddess that doesn't want to be found."

"Ooh, sounds wicked!" Alice grinned. "Why do you want to dig her out, then?"

"Because she keeps killing people." Myers stated. "And I actually get paid to stop that kind of stuff."

He made the wise decision to leave out all about personal revenge and his death wish.

"Sounds fair." Alice replied. "You have any clues of where to look?"

"Well, not as such. We… um, we already killed her once, by ripping the heart out of her chest. Or out of the host body she was using—"

"Eww, that's not nice."

"That woman was an evil person, believe me." Myers made a face. "She hit me with a hammer. But anyways, the Goddess didn't stay dead. She's back and I don't know how to permanently finish her."

"Have you tried googling it?"

Myers blinked a few times.

"Seriously? Googling it?"

"Yeah, you wouldn't believe the stuff that's in there."

Alice was already on her phone and Myers leaned over to see.

"How to kill a Goddess" she was indeed typing, and Myers made an exasperated sigh. When Alice had mentioned she had sources, he certainly hadn't thought about this.

"So, here we go. There's an actual step to step guide here!" Alice said. "First - kill all the hardcore believers and brainwash the rest."

Myers rolled his eyes. "Since it is unknown if there are any, that could be a tricky quest."

"Alright. So what about this? Send the chosen one on a mission to fight the ultimate evil?"

"Been there, done that." Myers stated dryly. "Didn't work out that well."

"You were the chosen one?" Alice asked. "Neat!"

"Well, not as such, no, but…" Myers shrugged. He had been a chosen sacrifice by Connelly, though. Not that he liked to think about that too much.

"Okay, what about this? 'Destroy all the sacred artefacts that might hold the God or Goddess' powers?"

Myers looked up from his tea.

"What did you say?"

"Weren't you listening? 'Destroy all the—"

"There are probably a lot of those." Myers noted. "And most of them in Museums—"

"Maybe we don't have to destroy all of them." Alice replied. "Maybe the Goddess has tied her life force in one or two sacred artifacts and it is enough that We destroy those?"

"I just remembered something." Myers breathed. "There was this… mural. Margot said she felt weird about it."

"Margot?" Alice asked. "She a lady with a lots of hair and a sassy attitude?"

Myers' heart skipped a few beats.

"How did you know?"

"You know, the dead never shut up." Alice rolled her eyes."It's such a pain in the ass, I tell you! But There's a spirit Who's been trying to get your attention since the moment you stepped in."

Myers looked up from his tea, his hands gripping hard on the cup to stop them from shaking.

"Margot…?" he rasped, his voice failing him. "Is it… are you here?"

"She's telling you to get your shit together." Alice made a face. "Wait. There's more."

It wasn't like Myers was going to say something to interrupt. He felt like he was falling and grasped his tea cup like his life depended on it.

"Okay, okay, I get the message!" Alice made a face. "Geez, the dead can be so impatient! She says: 'I need you sharp on this mission, John. Not some crying idiot who can't keep his shit together."

Myers made a sound that was both a sob and a laugh. Tears flooded his eyes.

"It used to be a 'drooling idiot'." He managed. "Not crying."

"Well, things have apparently changed since I died." Alice stated."She said so, not me. She's the dead one."A moment of silence. "So, care to tell me who are we chatting with?"

"My wife." Myers sniffed. "Just… don't tell Daimio."

"Geez, why would I tell him?" Alice made a face. "He hates this death business anyways."

But Myers could hardly think about Daimio, or the case or any of those things any more. Margot was here, she was in the same room with him, and all he could think about was how horribly he had missed her and how much he wanted to tell her everything.

How every minute of every day had been torture. How he had wished he could just stop his heart from beating, because Margot's absence was a dagger of ice and fire buried in his chest and it just kept digging deeper.

And he wanted to ask, he wanted to shout out loud, that if he killed himself, would he see her again? Would they be together, right now and forever, if he just pulled his gun and shot his miserable brain to the wall?

He felt tears in his eyes, they fell to his cheeks before he could do anything about it. They felt like acid, burning all the way down. He couldn't help it, could not stop it, and the tears made his voice thick when he finally managed to speak up.

"I love you." he rasped. "I love you Margot. I am so sorry. It was my fault. Please, please, I-"

"Hey." Alice said, with a surprisingly gentle tone. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but they she seems to be in a hurry, and-"

"No, don't go!" panic hit Myers in the stomach like a wrecking ball. "Alice, tell her to stay, tell her, just - damn it don't let her leave! I can't-"

A book fell from the nearby table with force, slamming the floor with a loud thump. It shut Myers up, and Alice raised an eyebrow.

"She tells you to shut up." Alice noted. "I suggest you listen before she breaks something. A feisty spirit, that one!"

"Fine." Myers noted. "Tell me."

Alice tilted her head, as if listening very carefully, nodded a few times. Then, after a half a minute or so, she turned to look at Myers again.

"Alright. She says - stop being a selfish prick. Sorry, her words, not mine!" Alice raised her hands apologetic. "But she's pissed and she says that this is not about you, or how crap you feel, and how much you want to die. The Goddess will kill you and all you hold dear if you don't take your head out off your ass and start doing your job again."

That felt like a slap on the face.

 _All you hold dear_.

A cold fear gripped his heart with iron claws and he felt like falling.

He hardly cared about his own life anymore, but… he still had loved ones to lose.

He felt like choking, tears burning in his throat and making his nose run.

"I am sorry." He breathed. "I don't know what to do. I… I can't do anything without you. I am lost! Just tell me, tell me—"

"Hey." that was Alice. "She says that she loves you. And that she's missed you too. And that everything is going to be okay, that there is nothing for you to apologize. But that you need to stop crying, and turn your phone on NOW."

Myers looked up, to Alice's dark hazelnut eyes.

"My phone? Why?"

Alice shook her head. "I don't know, but you'd better do as she says. The dead usually know important shit way better than we do."

The cold had spread from Myers' chest to his stomach and a shiver went through his core. He dug the phone out of his pocket and switched it on. It started buzzing as soon as it connected.

Crap.

A message after a message flashed to the screen, all from Kat. And they all said the same thing.

"BPRD is on fire and they got Maggie! Come home NOW you IDJT!"

Maggie.

Kat and Hellboy's only daughter was gone.


	68. Part IV: Horizon

**Guys, you might want to check the Prologue of the part IV, if you've forgotten who is who. I'll be introducing a couple of new characters in this chapter, Jack Daugherty 'Myers' and Jacob Myers. (Christ, why not, there must be one hot Myers in every generation, right? Right. :D) Aaaand, please review - i need it like the air I breath.**

* * *

 **Part IV: Streamline**

 **Chapter: Horizon**

* * *

There are two things to know about Magrat Wagner.

First - when she was born, every single person who saw her, thought that with her indigo colored skin, long tail and tiny, little horns, she was the cutest thing they had ever seen.

Second - now, 15 years later, she was still every bit as adorable, but she was also the harbinger of Apocalypse.

Not that Maggie - as she was usually called - thought much of that nonsense herself. She was far too preoccupied doing everything imaginable, that gave her pleasure, to think about dull things like the end of the world. Kat or Hellboy didn't like to dwell on that either, and one could hardly blame them. Maggie was their youngest, their little princess. To them Maggie was still that precious, innocent little thing that had turned their worlds upside down 15 years ago, and even if they knew that their firstborn Eru certainly hadn't inherited Hellboy's "I'm gonna end the world" -gift, they had hard time believing that Maggie could find that in herself either.

But the rest of them knew, alright.

To Myers, it had been obvious from the first time he had laid his eyes on Maggie. She was just too cute, too adorable. Almost like it was on purpose. Like she was just a hint too perfect for it to be real, like her cuteness was a design to lure people into her trap. A ridiculous thing to think of a baby, sure, but Maggie grew up fast - two times faster than a human would have. And the older she got, the more evident it was that there were something amiss with her. What Maggie wanted, Maggie got - one way or another, and Myers just knew she was going to be trouble. So when HB and his family disappeared to another dimension, for almost 10 years, a part of Myers had been relieved. Maggie would grow up in another reality. Maybe the end and death of all things would not come to this world after all, at least not in his lifetime.

But Red had returned home a few years ago, and brought all his family with him, including now full grown Maggie (who had reaches adulthood in the ripe age of eight).

It wasn't that Myers didn't love Maggie. Of course he did, it was impossible not to. _Everyone_ loved Maggie. It was, that he saw very clearly, that Maggie took all that love for granted, and used it for her own purposes.

And that, combined to a destiny to bring on the Apocalypse, was a thing that made Myers worried.

It was not the first thing in his mind, though, when he faced his family and friends after six months of exile. He knew better, than to start painting visions of Apocalypse to the parents whose kid has gone missing.

They were in Broom's library - even if the professor had been dead for more than a decade by now, the library still existed and they still used it, whenever in need of a private place for conversation. That's where they had landed, after Kat had ferociously teleported Myers out of Alice Monaghan's small apartment just a few minutes ago.

They were all there now, the whole team: Kat and Hellboy, Abe and Jay, plus their newest recruit Jack 'Myers' - John's nephew, who wasn't a confused 16-year-old wannabe rocker anymore - but a highly competent 37-year-old BPRD agent instead. Just seeing them all, made Myers' chest ache in the realization of how utterly, how heart breakingly lonely he had been for these past six months. And yet, at the same time, he felt the wall between himself and the rest of them, more clearly than ever before. Even in their company, he was alone, and he knew that's how it was always going to be now.

He knew that his soul was broken, and not a thing they said, could change that. And from the way they kept their distance, Myers knew they felt it too.

He had been gone long enough, to become a stranger, to become someone they necessarily didn't immediately trust.

Kat was pacing restlessly around, twisting her arms, giving Myers sideways glances. Hellboy on the other hand was sitting in a huge armchair, looking like the weight of the world was on his shoulders, and Myers couldn't tell, if he had even noticed his arrival. Myers couldn't blame him, though. Maggie was Hellboy's soft spot. There was nothing HB wouldn't have given to his daughter, nothing he could deny her.

That made Myers turn his glance to Sean and Amy.

The twins.

The sight of them felt like a punch through his sternum. His children, his heart, his responsibility.

It was painful, bittersweet, to see Margot in them. It wasn't just the color of Sean's hair, or the shape of Amy's eyes. It was in everything the twins did, in everything they were. Margot was in the way Amy played with her curls, nervously fidgeting them in her fingers, in the way she had thrown herself in Myers' arms, crying, when he appeared in the library after six months of separation. But also Margot was in the angry line of Sean's jaw, the stubbornness in his eyes, the silence in which he greeted his father.

Seeing the twins again was excruciating. It brought it all back - all the reasons he had had to leave, to escape, but also, all the reasons he had to be here now.

 _The Goddess will kill all you hold dear,_ Margot had said, and Myers felt the frozen claws of fear gripping tight on his heart.

Everything and everyone he cared about in the whole world, was in this room now. These people were his family, they were his lifeline, his soul, his essence. They had raised him, made him the man he was.

And now - Margot was dead. Maggie was taken. How many more of his loved ones would be lost before this was over? Who would be the next one to go? Would the Goddess steal Amy and Sean from him too? Or Kat, or Hellboy?

Myers shook his head to clear his mind.

 _I need you sharp on this mission, not some idiot who can't keep his shit together!_

"Alright." He cleared his throat. "Tell me all that's happened."

Kat looked at Myers, leaning on a bookshelf, her posture stiff and her eyes red rimmed. She was in her human form, and Myers noted how pale she was, how dark the circles under her eyes.

Like these past six months hadn't been easy for her either.

"You wouldn't have to ask, had you been here." Kat snapped. "You _should_ have been here. If Maggie gets killed because you left us, I'll never forgive you."

Myers gave a sigh, and rubbed his tired eyes.

 _Like I could ever forgive myself either, if that happened._

"Kat, don't." he replied. "We'll find her, I promise. Just, please, tell me what happened."

Kat shrugged, looked away from him, to the slender girl who was sitting on the couch, looking absolutely miserable.

"You should ask Amy. She's the one who saw it all."

"It happened so fast." Amy breathed. "I… I should've done something to stop her, but I just… I…"

"It's alright." Sean cut in, taking her hand. "It wasn't your fault. There was nothing you could have done."

He glanced angrily to his father, and the look in Seans' eyes told Myers just how much he thought that this was all _his_ fault, and Myers couldn't help but to agree. It was his fault. He knew that he had failed everyone - not just his children, not just Margot, but he had failed Kat and HB too, by allowing this to happen to Magrat.

So, the only thing he could do, was to fix this.

"Where were you when this happened." he asked, keeping his voice leveled. "You and Maggie."

"In her room." Amy replied. "We were just hanging out, you know. Just talking, nothing special."

"What were you talking about?" Myers had pulled out a pen and a notebook, scribbling down Amy's words. It made him feel more like this was just a case, something that was under his control, and not the actual end of the world.

"You know. Stuff." she blushed slightly. "Girl stuff."

"Oh." Myers said, and made the wise decision not to press on it. "I see."

He knew Amy and Maggie had bonded very soon after HB's family had returned from their 10 year long trip to alternate reality, and were now pretty much inseparable. It wasn't something Myers necessarily liked, but it had been out of his control since day one. Amy had the ADHD of her mother, and Maggie - well, she was a force of nature. Together those pretty teenagers had made a team, that had caused havoc and outrage throughout BPRD.

He tapped his pen to his notebook to gather his thoughts.

"So, you were in her room, and then…?"

"It was the weirdest thing." Amy breathed, barely audible. She looked up, met her father's eyes. "I felt this… this change in the air. Like there was… I don't know, electricity in the air? Like a thunderstorm coming."

A cold feeling spread from Myers' heart to his fingertips.

He knew, alright.

In a heartbeat he remembered a hotel suite, a hot summer night in Mexico City, Margot passionately kissing a beautiful, young man, and the air sizzling with the power of an ancient deity.

"Go on, Amy." his voice was barely audible.

Amy made a hopeless sound. "Maggie was right there, right there with me, sitting on the bed. We were talking, she was just telling me about Jacob, and how-" Amy stopped mid sentence, bit her lip. "Anyways, everything was like so normal, and the next moment… I felt this presence, this shift in the air, and… there was this woman. She was standing in the middle of the room, like she just appeared from the thin air. She was really beautiful. Black hair, maybe hispanic, I don't know… And she looked at Maggie, and… and Maggie stood up, and walked to her. She just… she just left! And before I knew it, they were gone. All that was left, was this stuff, all over the floor."

She pulled something out of her pocket, and reached out to pass it to Myers.

He reached his hand, to take the tiny item from her fingers.

There it was, on his palm. The first solid lead he'd had in these miserable six months. A frail, emerald green feather. A feather of a quetzal.

The Goddess of darkness and death, of earth and creation. The mother of quetzals, owls, spiders and jaguars.

In the mural she was pictured with her children. The quetzal birds and owls spreading their wings in her headdress, the roaring jaguars curled up at her feet.

And suddenly it was all clear in his mind. Just like Margot had said " _Get your head out of your ass, and start doing your job!"_

All he had to do - to get Maggie back, to kill the Goddess, to earn Sean's forgiveness, to tear down the wall between him and his family, all he had to do to save the world - it all came to him in one, swift moment of clarity, as if it was the first morning after an endless night, and he finally saw the rays of the sun in the horizon.

He raised his chin, let his glance go through all the people in the room, and suddenly he wasn't scared anymore.

"I have a plan." he said. "I know how we're going to fix this. But you're not going to like it."

"Ah." Sighed Abe. "When do we ever get to like the plan."

Myers turned his eyes at Kat.

"Kat, you have done amazing job keeping this place together while I was gone. You have been incredible. But now I need you to do as I say, and no but's. I need you to go and get Major Ben Daimio for me, he's at the M11 headquarters in London. And while you're at it, go and pick Alice Monaghan too."

"Alice Monaghan?" Kat frowned. "Care to tell me why?"

"Because I'm still wearing her slippers?" Myers noted. "What do you think, Kat. Just do it, I'll explain later."

"Fine." Kat rolled her eyes. "But this has better to be important. If Maggie gets killed while I teleport around because of your wet feet, I'll—"

"Kat, I'm sure Maggie is fine. Really." Myers interrupted Kat's angry burst. "I don't think for a moment that the Goddess took her to kill. If she wanted Maggie dead, she could have done that here. Like she killed… like she killed Margot." He paused, took a breath to be able to continue. "No, it's not revenge the Goddess wants with Maggie, it's something else. I think she plans to use her, as she used Margot back then, twenty years ago."

"Our Maggie as a priestess for that bitch?" That was Hellboy, and his dark remark brought total stillness in the room.

"Maggie - the priestess for the Goddess of death and destruction?!" That was Jay.

"No." Said Myers, dropping the bomb. "Maggie as the actual Goddess of death and destruction."

"Fuck." Said Kat.

"This is very bad." Said Abe.

"Never thought I was gonna say this, but… we're gonna need Jacob." Said Jack.

Myers blinked a few times.

"Okay?" He said. "You lost me there. Why on Earth do we need my 17-year old nephew to save the world?"

They all looked at Myers the way that made him realize he was the last one to know something, something very important, that no one was willing to tell him. It took a good half a minute of silence before Hellboy finally spoke up.

"That miserable little shrimp's been sleeping with my daughter."

That took Myers as a total surprise. Not the fact that Maggie had been having sex (if you knew Maggie at all, that was to be expected), but the fact that Jacob had been brave enough to give himself to Maggie's merciless claws.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"It's true." sighed Jack rubbing his chin. "I caught them kissing in this very room a couple of months ago."

"Wow." said Myers. "That's…"

"Don't you dare to defend Jacob." snapped Kat. "Maggie is barely 15! He should have known better."

"Okay, okay." said Myers, but couldn't help a small smile in the corner of his lips. "Yeah, maybe it was bad judgement on his part, but really, Maggie's been an adult since she turned eight. Jacob's hardly her first boyfriend-"

"Hey!" snapped Kat. "Told you not to defend Jacob!"

"- and, as I was going to say, this could really help us."

"How?" grunted Hellboy. "How's it gonna help us that… that useless skunk has his eye on my little Maggie—"

"Because." Myers said, suddenly serious. "Jay… you remember what it took for Margot to come back from the Death Realm after the goddess had taken her? Margot came back for me. So maybe… maybe Maggie will find it in herself too, if she has something to come back to."

Jay gave Myers a sideways glance.

"Yeah, I remember." he said. "But Maggie is not Margot."

"No, she's more like you." Myers admitted. "And that is why we need to hurry."


	69. Part IV: My girlfriend is the Antichrist

**Dearest readers - some young love and Apocalypse for you! All credit for the characters of Jacob and Maggie go to my dear friend 'Kat', who also is behind Jay and Andu and so many others. Without her, my fics would be boring as Hell. Hope you like this, and please leave a review.**

* * *

 **Part IV: Streamline**

 **Chapter: My girlfriend is the Antichrist**

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It's not everyday, that you get to hear that your girlfriend is the Antichrist.

Even if Jacob sure was used to weird shit happening in his life, this was still pushing it.

They were sitting at the kitchen table in the green house, that was the only home Jacob knew. In this house he had lived most of his life, with his adoptive parents Amanda Myers and Andu, who had taken him in when he'd been only a couple of years old. Jacob had no real memories of the time before his life in this house, but of course he'd been told of his origins. His mother, Sarah Jones, had died in a car accident, when Jacob had been just 2 years old, and only then had he been introduced to his father, Michael Myers. Too bad that Michael was a touring jazz pianist, who had absolutely no intention to put his career on hold to raise a baby he had never wanted in the first place - so he had done the only sensible thing, called out a Myers Family Emergency Meeting, to discuss what to do with the boy.

There, it had soon been decided, that Amanda and her partner Andu would take Jacob in. The decision had been made by the toddler himself, actually, as he had climbed to sit in Amanda's lap and fallen asleep there, and thus the matter had been settled.

Having been raised in a house, with two blue, teleporting men, sharing his childhood toys and plays with cousins who communicated telepathically, having an aunt who could read your mind and an uncle as the head of BPRD, one could say that paranormal was normal for Jacob.

Still, when he met Maggie, he was instantly swept off his feet.

Maggie was different in the world of different.

She was one of a kind, and Jacob was sure there was no girl - or demon - or any living creature in this planet that could match Maggie in beauty or wits. They met on an ordinary Tuesday afternoon, on the same day Hellboy had brought his family back home, and that Tuesday marked the day between before and after in Jacob's life. Before, had been a dull, normal and quiet life with his parents in the green house, with school and homework and friends. And after, was Maggie. It only took one smile from her, one glance of her striking, yellow eyes, to steal Jacob's soul forever. She was a flame and Jacob was a moth, and there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop his own doom.

For Jacob's defense, though, it should be noted, that he did try to resist. After all, he was a Myers - and all the Myers' he had been raised by, were known to be pure of heart and to do the right thing.

And falling desperately in love with a 13-year-old demon girl, was hardly the right thing to do.

Jacob knew, Maggie was younger. Yes, she had reached adulthood in the age of eight, yes, her hips had the feminine curves of a girl much older than her years, yes she was the one who looked at him with wanting and needing he had known nothing about, but still - none of that should have mattered. She was too young, and he knew that just thinking about her that way was _wrong_. Besides, they were practically family - Maggie was his cousin, though Jacob wasn't sure if it counted, for he was adopted. But one thing he knew with painful clarity: that Hellboy would not hesitate to rip his spine off through his mouth, if he ever found out how he felt about Maggie.

But what could he do? Maggie had taken his soul.

Jacob's inner torment lasted more than a year, before he finally decided to succumb to his destiny. And after the first time he had kissed Maggie - or more likely, Maggie had kissed him - in the attic of this very house, Jacob had known, that he was going to Hell for what he had done.

But he was happy to fall.

The couple of months he had secretly been seeing Maggie, had been the most amazing months of his life.

As it is with every teenager in the world, Jacob's thoughts began with sex and ended with it. But unlike most teenage boys, he was blessed with a succubus of his own.

There was Maggie, naked in his arms on the attic, her blue skin glowing in the moonlight. Maggie kissing him on the porch of this house, her tail curling around his shivering body. Maggie taking his hand and leading him to her room to do unimaginable things to him with her perfect lips. And Maggie, always Maggie, no one else, but Maggie, looking him deep in the eye when he made love to her, when he came deep inside of her, Maggie burying her sharp fingernails into the skin of his back when he pushed her against the wall in the cleaning closet, desperately hoping no one passing by would hear the sharp gasps and moans that left Maggie's lips when he had her.

And Maggie, who never said back "I love you", when he sighed it to her beautiful, pointed ear, when they lay exhausted and spent, on each other's arms after making love.

Jacob knew it, alright, that Maggie didn't love him. Just like he knew he was going to Hell, for laying his hands on the skin of his blue succubus. He knew everything about Maggie was bad news.

But still, he had never thought he was dating the Antichrist.

"I'msorrybutwhatdidyousay?" he mumbled. "She's what?"

Uncle John, who was sitting across the table, didn't look like he was kidding. Actually, he looked like he had never been more serious in his whole life.

"I said that Hellboy is Anung un Rama, and he was destined to bring on the Apocalypse. He chose a different path in life, so that destiny fell to his offspring - in this case, Maggie."

Jacob made a nervous sound, and glanced from John to Andu, but the blue face of his father was just as serious as John's.

"But…" Jacob stammered. "But I thought that maybe Eru—"

"Seriously?" that was Jay. "That boy doesn't have an evil bone in his body. I have no idea how on Earth my sister managed to have a son who's that pure and decent."

Jacob pursed his lips.

"Okay, I hear you." he said. "But still, Maggie—"

"Is destined to end this world and bring upon death and destruction beyond our imagination." uncle John rubbed his temples as if he was having the headache of the century - which was probably the case. He looked like shit.

Jacob raised an eyebrow, leaned back in his chair.

"And now… now she's been kidnapped by the same goddess who killed aunt Margot?"

A sharp shadow of pain made Uncle John's eyes dark, and immediately Jacob regretted his choice of words. It wasn't like he wanted to make his uncle feel worse than he already was - if that was even possible. He looked like he hadn't slept in six months, and he had definitely lost weight.

"That's right." John replied. "And I think the Goddess plans to use Maggie's destiny to bring on the end of this world."

Jacob felt all air leaving his lungs as if he'd been hit. He had thought that Maggie being kidnapped was bad. He had thought that the pain he felt when hearing that she was missing, was the worst kind of pain there was in the world, but he had been wrong.

This. This was worse.

"But Maggie, she wouldn't—" he started, but stopped mid sentence. Suddenly he wasn't so sure that what he had been about to say was the truth.

Uncle John's voice was tired and strained when he spoke.

"Jacob, there is still hope. I have a plan, that can kill the Goddess for good, and save Maggie, but—"

"But what?" Jacob asked, impatient. "I don't want any but's! We have to save Maggie!"

"I know. And we will. But to save the world _from_ Maggie, I am going to need your help."

There was a shocked silence in the kitchen, that lasted for a couple of heartbeats.

"No." gasped Amanda, who had been silent until then. "Absolutely not! He's just a boy! You are not going to take Jake to some crazy-ass BPRD suicide mission, you have a house full of agents for that, and—!"

"Amanda, please." John turned his dark gaze to his sister. "There is no other way. If there was... if there was, I wouldn't be here asking."

Amanda brought a hand to her lips, there were tears in her eyes. Silently Andu, who was standing behind her, placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Jacob." John said, turning his attention back to Jake. "Tell me… do you love Maggie?"

Jacob's heart skipped a beat, or a dozen and his cheeks blushed. He had been yelled at, scolded at, given house arrest for a month, his phone and his laptop had been confiscated and so on - all that just because he had admitted there was more than just one innocent kiss between him and Maggie.

But still, when he was asked this question, there was no way he could lie.

"Yes." he breathed. "With all my heart."

John exchanged a worried glance with Andu, a glance that Jacob didn't like at all.

"Son." Said Andu. "Does Maggie love you back?"

Jacob lowered his gaze to his hands. The were on the table, his sweaty palms leaving marks on the polished wood. These hands, their long, slender fingers that had glided on Maggie's smooth, indigo skin, oh, so many times, and she had melted under his touch.

Jacob bit her lip. It took forever, before he could form the words and force them out of his dry throat.

"Yeah, sure she does."

But he knew no one believed his words, not even Jacob himself.


	70. Part IV: The End of the Fucking World

**I'm so glad that some people are still reading this story! :D Finally we are about to see some action again. Hope you like it, and please review!**

* * *

 **Part IV: Streamline**

 **Chapter: The end of the fucking world**

* * *

It was an unlikely rescue party.

A skinny 17-year old boy with a black ponytail, a blue man with surfer hair and combat gear, a M11 agent with Asian features and horrible scars on his face and a 6 feet tall red demon. And of course John Myers.

The full moon on the sky illuminated these five figures as they made their way along the Avenue of the Dead. But instead of heading to the Pyramids, Myers lead them to a nearby buildings, low structures that were the remains of ancient temples or perhaps living quarters. Today they were known as the Tetitla complex.

"Myers." that was Hellboy. "You sure this is the place?"

"I'm sure." Myers stated, resolute. "Alice said so, and I don't doubt her sources."

"Then where is that bitch?" Hellboy grunted. "And where the Hell is my daughter?"

"I don't know yet." Myers replied. "But I have a feeling we're bound to find out soon."

He stepped inside, ignoring the signs and fences that were there for the tourists. Now it was night, the place was empty, and his steps echoed in the darkness. The light of the full moon entering from the windows and door frames, and his flashlight only made the surrounding shadows and dark corners look more menacing. Myers didn't turn around to see if the rest of the team followed - he knew they would.

Myers didn't stop until he had reached what he'd been looking for. The Tetitla Mural.

"That is… unnaturally well preserved." Noted Jay.

"Isn't it?" Myers' tone was dark. "Looks like it was painted yesterday, not 2000 years ago."

He remembered with breathtaking clarity when he had first seen the picture of this mural in a book, doing research of a Mexican cult that had been killing people. Little had he known then, that he would be standing in front of the same mural more than 20 years later, staring at the face of the Goddess who had taken _everything_ from him.

He felt the anger, the rage flushing through his veins like fire, and he clenched his fists.

 _Guess what, bitch. I'm back - and this time it's you who's going down._

The mural was impressive, though, just as he remembered it being, and even more so now, in the eerie light of the full moon. There were actually two pictures of the goddess, identical, in the same wall. The background was painted red, and the goddess herself stood her arms outstretched on her sides, the huge, extravagant headdress of quetzal feathers and a face of an owl on her head, the piercing eyes of her green painted face staring straight at Myers, as if challenging him.

"Daimio." Myers turned to look at the somber M11 agent. "This is it. This is the mural that holds the goddess' power. If you destroy it, the goddess will not be able to reborn. When we kill her, she'll stay dead this time."

"And you need me to do it, because..?"

"Because the Great Goddess had several sacred animals." Myers turned his gaze back at the mural, where all these animals were pictured. "As the Goddess of the underworld, she was also the mother of owls, quetzals, spiders - and jaguars. And I am a bit short on were-quetzals at the moment."

"What if we just hit it to pieces with a hammer?" asked Jay. "It is ancient! It would probably crumble to pieces with a push of my pinkie."

"It might, but the piece of Goddess' power that's held within, won't. Not unless it's destroyed by her sacred animal."

"Said Alice?" Jay asked, and Myers nodded.

"Oh, fun." stated Damio, and he didn't look like he thought it was fun at all.

"Enough of this." muttered Hellboy. "You gonna do it or will I?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt-" said a silent voice. "- But how is this going to help us find Maggie? Even if the mural is destroyed, we still don't know where Maggie is."

Myers turned his eyes to his nephew.

Jacob, with his black, undisciplined hair on a ponytail, wearing a black band T-shirt and jeans, looked so out of place that Myer's heart twitched.

"I have a feeling that destroying her immortality, will get the Goddess' attention." he replied. "Guess we'll find out soon enough."

"Alright, then." said Daimio, and rolled up his sleeves. "Let's get to business."

But just then, there was a tear in the world. Without a warning Myers was swept off his feet, his stomach turned upside down and it was like he was pulled through a wormhole that was way too small for him to fit through.

And then, darkness.

He came to, sitting on the cold stone floor, his back against a rock pillar, his hands tied behind his back. A groan that left his lips tasted of blood, and Myers wasn't sure if it was because he had bit his tongue or because he had been hit. Either way, he felt like shit. Fighting the waves of dizziness and nausea, he forced his eyes open.

 _I'll have to stop nagging at Kat about her teleporting. This shit was way worse._

The room around him slowly came into focus, and he recognized it like one recognizes a punch on the face. He had been here before. Everything he saw, brought back memories he had hoped to forget, and was now forced to relive. The stone walls, the dark corners, the scent of blood and copper and smoke, his own uncomfortable position and the fear that settled in his belly.

The only thing that was different, that this time Margot wouldn't be here to save him.

"What the fuck…!" A voice groaned nearby. "Where… where are we?"

Myers turned his aching head, trying not to black out again. There was Jacob, tied onto the pillar next to him, and he looked every bit as miserable as Myers felt. Jacob's face was white as a sheet and there were stains of blood in the corner of his mouth, on his cheekbone. The rest of their team was nowhere to be seen, and Myers could only hope they were alive.

"Jake, are you alright?" he managed, and the teenager gave a shaky nod.

"Yeah, I guess… Uncle-John, what happened? Where are we…?"

"Under the Pyramid of the—"

"Maggie…!" Jacob's desperate cry interrupted Myers' words and instinctively he turned his head, following Jacob's gaze.

In the other end of the room, half hidden in the shadows, was Maggie. She was lying on a stone table, naked, her blue skin glowing in the flickering torch light, her long, slender limbs relaxed and smooth, her tail falling over the edge of the table. Her eyes were closed, she seemed to be unconscious - and luckily unharmed. A wave of relief washed over Myers, almost taking his breath away, as he noticed Maggie's chest was moving with peaceful breathing.

But that was where the good news ended.

Leaning on the wall near Maggie, there was a beautiful, young woman with a cascade of black, waist long hair, high cheekbones and copper toned skin. She was wearing a simple black top and jeans, plus a ton of gold jewelry that hang from her neck and ears, bracelets shaped like serpents curled up her arms. In her raven hair she wore green feathers of a quetzal.

"Where it began, it will end." she said and the air hummed with electricity. "I see you are awake."

Myers recognized that voice, it went straight to his spine, to his bloodstream like a poison. It was the music of the wind chimes, singing of birds, silent whisper of long lost waterfalls and it made his breathing get stuck to his throat, his blood chill in his veins.

"Bitch." Myers growled. "Let Maggie go."

"Always trying to be a hero." the goddess sighed. "When will you learn that women hardly need _you_ to be their savior, John Myers? Magrat came to me of her own free will, and with me she will find her true destiny. You, insignificant male, are not in any place to make demands. Your wife is dead, your team beaten, and I will have your heart before this is over. The last thing you will see in this world is my blue hand ripping your chest open, my lips drinking your blood as it was meant to be."

 _My blue hand._

So, Myers had been right, then. About the Goddess planning to use Maggie as her host body. And if he had to guess, that was the exact reason Maggie was lying on the stone table, naked and unconscious.

It hardly did any good to be right about things, though, if there was fucking nothing you could do about them. Myers had counted on the fact, that they'd have time to destroy the mural _before_ the Goddess sensed their presence.

Now the mural was still intact, and the Goddess was still invincible and once again Myers had failed. He had lead his friends, and his 17-year-old nephew into a suicide mission, just as Amanda had predicted.

That thought settled in Myers' stomach like a lump of ice, but the mentioned 17-year old had apparently not yet lost his spunk.

"It'll be over my dead body, before I let you take Maggie!" Jacob growled. "Let my girlfriend go, you piece of-!"

"Ah, another one, who is willing to die for love." the goddess smiled, her eyes cold as ice. "Simply delicious - I do love a good sacrifice."

"You're saying that you're willing to take my life in exchange for Maggie's?" Jacob asked, his voice dry and hoarse. "If so, then go ahead. I'm ready."

The Goddess glanced at Myers, then turned her piercing, golden gaze back at Jacob.

"Making the same offers decade after decade. Not learning from the mistakes of the past. Men - always willing to believe their lives are more important than the lives of women."

The Goddess had walked slowly to Jacob, and now sat down on his lap, straddling him, she took his pale face into her hands.

"Fuck you—" Jacob started, but she slapped his face hard, drawing blood.

"I love the blood that tastes of passion and sacrifice." she breathed and leaned closer, to lick the blood of Jacob's cheek. Jacob resisted the best he could, but it was no use. The Goddess' lips and her tongue moved on Jacob's face, licking off every last drop of the blood she had spilled, ending into a kiss on his mouth.

"Your's is good blood. It is to my liking." she breathed, breaking the kiss. "I will have your heart too, my love, your blood, your heart, your life, your seed, the creation of new life."

"Hey Lady! The only one who's getting any of _that_ —" Jacob spat the words to the woman's face. "—is Maggie." He was breathing hard, his chest heaving. "Release her, or I'll—"

"Or you'll what?" She laughed, filling the air with the sounds of the jungle and the night. She stood up, left Jacob and Myers behind and walked to Maggie, laying her hand to her blue, smooth cheek she followed the line of her jaw with her fingers.

"Magrat will not only be my vessel." she breathed, her eyes on the sleeping girl. "She will be my full reincarnation, and in her, I will end this world in fire and flood, and in her, I will create a new world, born of the ashes and the blood of this one."

Jacob made a sound, half a moan, half a cry, and Myers heard there were tears in his throat.

"Please…" Jacob breathed. "Please, don't…"

Myers felt the guilt in his chest as a crushing weight, taking his breath away.

 _So, this is how it ends._

He tried to free his hands, to pull his wrists off the bonds, but they didn't give in one inch, not even when they cut into his skin and were slick of his own blood.

And suddenly he remembered, felt it on his bloody wrist. His tracking device.

It was a longshot, but he tried it nevertheless. Pushing his hand hard against the stone pillar, he felt the subtle 'click' as it went on.

He only hoped someone was still alive to receive the signal

"If that's all you want-" he rasped, to buy them more time. "-the Apocalypse, a new world… Then why kill Margot?"

Something flashed in the goddess' golden eyes.

"She betrayed me, by not following me to death. To see her die by the hand of her lover, was a fitting punishment."

" _I_ was her lover. Not that… that _thing—"_

"Yes. And it has been delightful to watch your suffering as well. Your destiny was to die, to spill your blood and to give your heart for my nourishment. For not doing that, you deserved a punishment, and what would be better than a heart for a heart?"

"So-" Myers went on, ignoring the pain in his wrists, the fear in his stomach. "-the mighty Goddess of death and creation isn't any better than us mortals. What you did to Margot and to me, it was just revenge, nothing more."

"Revenge is one of the purest feelings. It is in my nature, as is love and lust and birth. It is in the hearts of people who worship me, and their hopes and dreams have shaped me throughout centuries."

"And if there is no one left to believe in you, then what? After the Apocalypse—"

"Oh, John Myers." The Goddess breathed. "There will always be people who believe in death and destruction. Especially when they see it with their own eyes."

While talking, the Goddess had walked back to the stone table, and with those words she removed the golden chains from her neck and laid them on Maggie's. The gold shimmered in the dark, beautiful and dredly against Maggie's indigo skin, and she looked menacing and otherworldly, even if she was still asleep or unconscious.

"Maggie-!" Jacob growled. "Maggie, come on, wake up! Maggie, please-"

"Insignificant." The Goddess breathed, filling the room with the sounds of birds, making the shadows alive in the corners. "It is time."

And she opened her mouth, opened her eyes, opened her arms, opened everything in her, and in a heartbeat a cloud of gold and green emerged from her, taking a shape of a bird in the air, filling the room with light so bright that Myers cursed and he had to turn his eyes away.

"Maggie-!" he heard Jacob's desperate sobbing through the ringing of his ears. "Maggie, please-!"

"Jake, close your eyes!" Myers grunted, through his teeth.

Even through his closed eyelids, Myers saw the blinding, otherworldly light, felt it burning his skin like fire. He tasted blood, his ears popped, as a wave of pressure hit him-

And then. Silence.

It was dark again. Myers felt his own, uneven breathing burning in his throat. He licked his lips, tasting blood. Slowly, hesitatingly he opened his eyes into a total darkness of an underground chamber. All the torches had gone off, and the only light in the room was his own flashlight that lay forgotten - but still working - in his feet.

"Jake." he rasped, his throat barely able to make a sound. "Jake, are you okay?"

He heard heavy breathing, and a sound like Jacob was trying to move.

"Jacob?"

A short silence.

"Nnngh… I… I don't know."

"Christ." Myers cursed. "You alive, kid? Any broken bones?"

"I think my ears are bleeding." Jacob muttered, sounding groggy, but his response was enough to assure Myers that the kid's life wasn't in an imminent danger. He turned his attention back at the situation at hand.

His eyes had started to get used to the darkness. He now saw the stone table in the back end of the room. On the floor, illuminated by the light of his flashlight, lay the previous body the Goddess had used - now abandoned and very much dead. There was a dark pool of blood surrounding it, as if the Goddess had ripped it apart when leaving.

And on the table-

Myers blinked, cleared his throat.

 _Where it began, it will end._

On the table, covered in gold and shadows, Magrat Wagner stretched her slender limbs and sat up.


	71. Part IV: Apocalypse

**Guys - it doesn't stop amazing me, that there are still people reading this fic that's so long it should be illegal. Thank you! You are my inspiration.**

* * *

 **Part IV: Streamline**

 **Chapter: Apocalypse**

* * *

A short moment of pure fear, that lasted for an eternity.

There was a golden glow around Maggie, she stretched her slender limbs and opened her strikingly yellow eyes.

"My, my, Jacob." she said, and flashed a grin so wide that her unnaturally sharp teeth were revealed. "Did you undress me? And in front of Uncle John? That's a bit kinky, but I'm game if you guys are."

Myers' jaw dropped.

Jacob blinked a few times, deep red spots emerging on his cheeks.

"Maggie, I-"

"Margrat." said Myers, trying to find his cool. "Maggie, is it… _you_?"

"Why? Who else would I be?" Maggie seemed annoyed. She hopped down from the table and walked closer, and suddenly Myers was very much aware of the fact that she was very much naked, the gold chains hanging on her bare chest only decorating her slim, blue figure.

"The Goddess." he spat out. "Remember? The Great Goddess who killed Margot, who abducted you, and left _that_ girl dead on the floor to move into you?"

"Oh, _right_!" Maggie's yellow eyes brightened. "Now that you mention, uncle, I do hear a nagging voice in my mind. This is curious! I have a Goddess in my head?"

Myers stared at her for a few heartbeats, speechless. Maggie picked up the flashlight from the floor, turned it to her face and grinned.

"Do I look different?" she raised an eyebrow. "Did it add to my natural hotness?"

Myers gave a sigh, rolled his eyes.

"I should've guessed." he muttered.

"Don't tell me you guys came to my rescue?" Maggie laughed. "Jacob? You came to save me?"

"Maggie, I—" it seemed like that was all he was capable of saying lately, and Myers couldn't blame him. This certainly was a turn of events he hadn't seen coming.

"Oh, that's adorable. Chivalry isn't dead, after all." Maggie purred.

She walked closer to Jacob, her hips swinging, her tail swirling in the air, and pointed the flashlight on him.

"Jake, you okay?" she asked, not sounding too concerned. "Are your ears bleeding?"

"I'm fine." Jacob replied. "Just… had a rough night."

"I can imagine." Maggie chuckled. "Being tied down here with Uncle John? I would be bored out of my mind!"

"Hey, I'm right here." Myers snapped. "And I would appreciate if you released my hands."

But Maggie didn't bother to answer. She sat down on Jacob's lap, straddling him, and taking his face into her hands, she kissed him. Myers did the wise thing of turning his gaze away, as Maggie glued her naked, blue form against Jacob's chest - not caring one bit about Myers' presence. When she finally broke the kiss Jacob's eyes were wide and his voice thin.

"Jesus, Maggie-"

"Hardly. Just a Goddess."

Jacob made a nervous laughter.

"So, is that like a permanent thing? Should I be worried?"

"Oh, Jake. You should always be worried with me." She leaned closer, to kiss Jacob again, but this time Jacob interrupted her advances.

"Maggie, wait-" he inhaled and exhaled a couple of times. "Just… you know, could you, like, release my hands?"

"Not so sure about that." Maggie purred. "I'm kinda liking you where you are."

Myers rolled his eyes, for what seemed to be like a thousandth time since Maggie had awoken. Surely, he and Margot had never been _that_ sloppy. But he really, really didn't want to see the daughter of his best friend having bondage sex with his nephew, so he made himself known by clearing his throat..

"Maggie, that's enough." he stated as sternly as he could. "There's an evil goddess trapped inside of your head, a dead woman on the floor, and my shift isn't over yet. Release my hands, if you would, and let the kid get up. And don't make me ask again."

"Really, Uncle John?" Maggie made a face. "Am I not allowed to have any fun? After all, I kinda saved the world. By not destroying it."

"If it's thanks that you're looking for, you'd better free me." Myers replied. "And the fun can bloody well wait."

"Ah, fine." Maggie gave an exasperated sigh, and stood up. "Stop nagging, already!"

With a few swift moves Maggie snatched the ties that held Myers and Jacob to their stone pillars, with a knife she had taken from Myers', and as soon as his hands had been freed, Myers stood up, ignoring his spinning head, and the pain in practically every part of his body.

He lend a hand to Jacob, who seemed to be feeling rather rotten as well - but at least they were both alive. And the world hadn't ended - yet.

"Johnny-" Maggie chirped, turning her attention to Myers. "Was it your idea to bring Jacob to save me?"

"Don't call me Johnny." Myers snapped. "Why do you ask?"

He handed a bottle of water to Jacob, who accepted it gratefully.

"Why would you do that?" Jacob is many things, I know, but he's not an agent and I think he'll never be. Did you bring him just for his funny jokes? Or did you bring him so that I wouldn't burn down this world, because he'd remind me of my better self?"

"So, you've been talking to your dad, then?" Myers asked. "All that 'Remember who you are" stuff?"

"I might have." Maggie shrugged. "Anyways, it was totally stupid of you to think I'd bring on the Apocalypse. I like drinking and fucking way too much to destroy all this. World is okay."

Myers glanced at Jacob, who looked at Magrat as if she was something amazing, as a flower that turns towards the sun. He remembered the despair and rage in Jacob's voice when the Goddess had tormented him, the tears that had fallen to his face when he had thought Maggie was lost.

It was clear that this was more than folly of youth, or a fling of a moment. Myers saw how Jacob looked at Maggie, and it was a look, painfully familiar to him. Myers knew true love, when he saw it.

But Maggie…

Myers glanced at the blue she-devil who had sneaked back to Jacob's side and was wrapping her tail around his body. She looked at Jacob as if he was a delicious meal, nothing more.

But she hadn't killed them. And she hadn't destroyed the world in flood and fire. And the Goddess was beaten - sort of. Maybe he should give Maggie some credit after all.

At that moment, there was a loud 'bamf', a cloud of smoke and another blue figure appeared in the middle of the room.

"Myers? Jacob!" Jay exclaimed. "You alive?"

"Obviously." Myers noted, rubbing his wrists - but the truth was, he was happy to see Jay. "You took your time."

"My apologies." Jay said in a way that made it clear he wasn't really apologizing. "I was knocked out! As were Red and Daimio too. I just came to."

"Are they okay?"

"Yeah, I guess. Daimio's throwing up all over the place, though." Jay shrugged. "So, no Apocalypse today, I see? What happened."

"I saved the world." Maggie boasted. "And the Goddess is imprisoned."

"Really? And where's that?"

"In my head." Maggie's grin was wide, her teeth sharp and she had laughter in her voice. "Don't worry - everything is totally under control!"

"When you say 'Don't worry', even I worry." noted Jay, and for once Myers full heartedly agreed with him.

But Maggie had already busied herself, kissing Jacob again, and this time Jacob's hands had found her waist, were gripping on her blue skin in a way that Myers found highly inappropriate - considering there were others present.

He made an exasperated sigh. When had his job - killing monsters and saving the world - had become about watching teenagers make out?

"Maggie, get dressed." he stated. "It's time to get out of here."

She broke the kiss, and winked at Myers.

"What, don't you like my looks, Johnny?"

"Don't call me Johnny." Myers grunted. "Just get dressed, would you? Some of us have had a rough night."

"Geeh, fine! I would, but I don't have any clothes. And I sure as Hell am not going to wear _hers._ " Maggie pointed to the dead girl, who was lying in the pool of blood.

"Come on, take this." That was Jay. He had removed his biker jacket and offered it to Maggie, Who accepted it and wrapped it around her slender form - looking now, if not decent, at least a bit less naked, which made Myers relax a bit.

"Ready?" Myers asked. "Jay, could you take us-"

But before he could finish that sentence, Maggie had already grabbed Jacob's arm and disappeared with a loud 'bamf'.

"For fuck's sake." Myers muttered. "I'm too old for this."

In a swirl of blue smoke, Jay and Myers followed.

* * *

They found Maggie outside, in front of the Pyramid of the Moon, being scolded by Hellboy. Jacob was standing nearby, looking like a puppy that's been yelled at, his hands stuffed deep in his pockets.

Daimio was sitting on the stairs, looking somewhat sick, but Hellboy was standing up, pointing a finger at his daughter, and he was mad.

"-running away from home with a killer goddess-"

"How was I supposed to know she was evil? It's not like she had a sign saying 'Hey, I killed your aunt!'"

"You should have known better!"

"I was curious!"

"You almost got yourself killed!"

"Hah! It wasn't even close."

"You are grounded for a year! And no buts-"

"Dad! That's totally unfair! I saved the world!"

To that, Hellboy didn't reply a thing. He took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and then dug a cigar from his pocket. He took his time lighting it up, and taking a first, deep breath. Only after that, he turned his attention back at his daughter.

"Maggie, this discussion is over. Go. Home."

"But Dad, I—"

"Na-Ah! None of that! Home. Now."

"Really? Is this because I'm a girl? Or because I'm naked? This is totally unfair! Why does no one tell Jake to go home?"

"Because Jake is my responsibility." Noted Myers "And you are not, luckily."

"Hey, Myers!" Hellboy seemed to notice him for the first time. "You okay?"

"Fine." Myers replied, even if that wasn't really true. "And I agree with you, by the way. Maggie should totally go home, even if just for Kat's sake. She must be pulling her hair off by now."

"Yeah." Hellboy grunted. "Kat sure wasn't happy to stay behind on this one."

"But before anyone else goes home-" Myers went on. "There is still stuff to do. The mural. We need to destroy it once and for all, so that the Goddess can never be resurrected again."

"Cool." said Maggie. "Not that I have any idea, what's a mural."

"It is a painting on a wall." Noted Daimio, who had kept silent until now. "It holds a piece of the Goddess' powers and if we destroy it, it should make it impossible for her to resurrect."

"I'm all for that." said Maggie. "But who the heck are you?"

"Ben Daimio." introduced Hellboy. "Meet my daughter, Maggie."

"Charmed." said Daimio on a very dry voice.

"So, will destroying this cursed murmur-"

"Mural." stated Myers.

"That's what I said!" snapped Maggie. " A Murex. Anyways, will destroying it get the Goddess out of my head?"

Myers shrugged. "I don't know. Don't think so, but at least it will make her weaker and easier to kill."

"Let's worry about that tomorrow." noted Jay. "Maggie can throw the goddess up in a jar or something. And then we burn the jar."

"Fine, whatever." said Maggie. "Just let's get to business. There are a cadzillion things I'd rather do than stand here chatting about murrays - and all of them include me and Jacob getting the fuck out of here - together."

Jacob seemed delighted, and was just about to say something, when Hellboy gave him a look that would have scared a lesser man shitless.

"Jake - if you touch my daughter, I'll rip your spine off."

"Dad, come on-!"

"And Maggie, you are grounded for life." Hellboy muttered, pointing a finger at Maggie's chest.

"Dad." Maggie broke into a grin. "Were you actually worried for me?"

"Well.." Hellboy shrugged. "Nah, I knew you'd pull through."

"So, I'm not grounded the ?"

"Oh, Yes you are, missy." Hellboy grumbled. "And you're gonna go home right now, or I'll make Jay drag your ass there."

"Fine." Maggie pouted her lips. "Whatever. You guys destroy that cursed wall-painting-thingy, and I'll throw up in a jar. Sounds like a plan."

"Red, you want me to take her-" Jay began, but Maggie had already taken Jacob's hand and they vanished - again - in a cloud of blue smoke. They might have taken a small detour before bamfing into BPRD headquarters a half an hour later, but Kat, Abe, Amanda, Andu and the twins were so happy to see them both unharmed, that no one gave them hard time about it.

Myers, Daimio, Hellboy and Jay on the other hand, stayed behind and took down that 'cursed wall-painting-thingy', and Myers actually felt a little bad seeing how the amazing 2000 year old mural, that was one of Mexico's national treasures, was crumbled to pieces by Daimio's jaguar claws.

But at the same time, he felt relief.

The world hadn't ended. The Goddess' power was diminished and she could never be reborn again. Maggie had found it in herself, not to end the world, and they would all get to live.

"Come on, guys. Let's have a beer." he said. "I think we've deserved that."

It was probably for the best, that they could not see the future.

It would take another 20 years, before Maggie would embrace her destiny to bring on the Apocalypse. And Jacob would be burnt to ashes, trying to save the woman he loved.


	72. Part IV: Comfort Blanket

**Part IV: Streamline**

 **Chapter: Comfort Blanket**

* * *

"And once again, the world is saved." Myers said.

"No thanks to us, though."

"Yeah... " Myers nodded. "No thanks to us. It's a good thing that we have the next generation growing up."

They were sitting at the top of the pyramid of the Moon, just him and Hellboy - Jay had taken off with Daimio (after bamfing to a nearby store for a six pack of beer). The avenue of the Dead spread out in front of them, a mile long complex leading to the Pyramid of the Sun, an eerie, dark mountain like figure that stood on their right. The night was cool and surprisingly silent, only the wind moving in the dry grass.

Of all the times Myers had been in this cursed place, he had never climbed up to the top of the pyramid of the Moon.

"You know." he stated after a short silence. "This is the exact place where they used to perform human sacrifice for the Goddess."

"Huh. You mean back when-"

"-when the Teotihuacans lived here. 2000 years ago."

Another short silence. Myers took a sip of his beer, and in his exhausted and drawn state, it went straight to his bloodstream. He was happy he didn't have to climb back down - Jay had promised to pick them up in about an hour - before the archaeological zone would open for tourists.

"That Goddess…. Maggie still has that bitch in her head." Hellboy muttered. "Better do something about that soon."

"True. But not tonight. I haven't fucking slept in like 36 hours and I'm not immortal or super powered like you guys. If Maggie can't wait with the puking, we'll just have to let Kat and Jay take care of that."

"And Abe."

"Yeah, Abe too." Myers nodded. "Man, It was good to see him."

Hellboy made a chuckle.

"It's good to see you, boy scout. The place wasn't same without you."

But instead of cheering him up, Hellboy's remark only made Myers feel gloomy again. Yes, he had found the Goddess with help of Alice Monaghan, and yes he had figured out how to destroy the source of the Goddess' immortality - but otherwise, he had been useless again.

 _What is your area of expertise?_ Hellboy had asked him once. _Was it your punctuality? The way you part your hair? What was it, that lead you into this job, pushing pamcakes?_

At least life had taught Myers, what his area of expertise was. It was being useless, roaming the halls weeping, and being tied down to a stone pillar by bitch goddesses.

"Come on, Red. You're better off without me."

"Nope."

"You are, and that's a fact. I shouldn't have come back."

But maybe that was just the beer speaking. For Myers had to admit, it had felt good to see them all again. It felt good to just sit here with Hellboy and have a beer. Like they had done a thousand times before.

"Hey, I get it that you left." Hellboy noted. "Hell, I left for ten years after Paps died! But man, you left your kids. You can't do that shit to them again."

"Red, seriously. Look at me. Do you really think it would have been good for Amy and Sean to be around me? They comfort each other better than I ever could."

"Well… You know, Sean hasn't been the only one comforting Amy lately."

Myers looked up from his beer.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"My son and your daughter. Apparently."

"Shit! Amy and Eru? You serious?"

"What? You don't think he's good enough for her?"

Myers laughed, a genuine laugh - a first one since forever.

"No, on the contrary. I think that even if Amy lived a hundred lifetimes, she couldn't find a finer man than your son."

"Yeah… Eru is a good kid."

"He is." Myers agreed. "Which reminds me… that so is Jacob."

Hellboy made a low grumble, and shook his head, took a sip of his beer.

"That _scumbag_ -"

"Come on, Red." Myers pleaded. "You know as well as I do, that it was Maggie who swept Jacob off his feet - not the other way around."

"Maggie's a child! She's barely 15-"

"And she's been full grown for seven years. Red, let it go. She's not a baby anymore."

Hellboy muttered something inaudible.

"Besides - Jacob was willing to give his life for Maggie today."

Hellboy made a face. Gulped down the rest of his beer. "Yeah… well, he's a Myers anyways."

"So, you admit that he's a good kid?" Myers chuckled. "Or that he's just stupid."

"Both. Must run in the family."

"Yeah…" Myers replied, and suddenly the smile was off his lips again. "A lot of good it did to Margot."

"Come on, Myers." Hellboy said. "You know better. It wasn't your fault what happened to her."

But the bitter taste of regret and loss was already on Myers' lips, and he couldn't wash it off. He knew there wasn't enough beer in the whole world to make him forget about Margot, Margot who had loved him like no other woman, who had given him his children, who had been the other half of his heart, of his soul, who had laid in a pool of blood on the cold, tiled floor, her eyes lifelessly staring at the ceiling.

Still, Myers took a long gulp of his beverage, emptying his bottle, if for nothing else, then to numb the pain a little.

"You know…" he finally said. "I can't get over her death."

"Hey, it's only been six months."

Myers shook his head, fought back tears. "I don't know if time will help. You know that her death killed me too."

There was a long silence, that didn't need filling. It was the kind of a silence that can only exist between people who've known each other for a lifetime. The silent understanding, acceptance.

And maybe that was all that Myers needed.

For such a long time he had been thinking about killing himself. It had been his only objective - to find the ones responsible for Margot's death, kill them, and then kill himself. For more days than he cared to count for, he had seriously thought about skipping the phases one and two, and moving straight into the phase three. A gun in his hand had felt like a security blanket: comforting, peaceful, a promise of a sleep without nightmares. The only thing that had kept him from shooting his brain to the wall, had been the need to avenge Margot's death. He wouldn't allow him the luxury of ending his life, before that was done.

But now.

The Goddess was destroyed. Diminished into a nagging voice in Maggie's head, and soon even less than that.

Amy was back on her feet - her best friend returned, and a boyfriend by her side. The thought of Amy and Eru together made Myers happy, a small flame of light in his ocean of darkness.

And Sean… Myers had always thought that Sean resembled more Margot than him, but now he wasn't so sure. Sean was right about the fact that Margot's death was on Myers' conscious, her blood in his hands. Had he not left his place by her side, she would be alive today. Maybe it was Myers' death, that Sean needed to put this all behind him and move on. A closure.

The night was so cool, the wind cold in Myers' hair. The shadows of the clouds over the full moon moved on the Avenue of the Dead. A shiver went through Myers' spine, like his jacket just couldn't keep the cold off.

Slowly he pulled the gun from his belt, balancing it on his palm, like so many times before. He was tired, so very tired, aching till the marrow of his bones. The smooth, cold metal against his palm brought him peace, and he _wanted it._

"Myers." Hellboy's voice was stern and dark. "What'ya doing with the gun?"

Myers didn't reply, shook his head. He turned the gun around in his hand, gripping the handle. His fingers found their familiar place around it, as it was meant to be.

"Myers?"

"Yeah?" he didn't look up to his friend. The night was silent, the gun cold in his hand.

"Put the gun away."

"You know…." he said, silently. "For such a long time I waited for this night. I waited, so that I could-"

"Put it away, or I'll take it from you."

Myers made a small sound, half a sob, half a laugh.

"I am still your boss, technically." he said. "You can't order me to do something."

"But I can kick your ass if you don't do as I say."

"True."

They were both silent for a short while. Myers still holding the gun, his fingers as cold as the metal now. He hardly felt it in his grasp.

Finally, after an eternity, he handed the gun to Red, not turning to look at him.

"Maybe you take this for tonight."

"Yeah. Maybe I will." Red replied, taking the gun and all of Myers' hope with it. "And you're not getting it back 'til I say so."

"You know, I have others."

"Shit, kid. Do I have to lock you up?"

Myers shook his head, made a forced laugh.

"Nah. Just give me another beer." he said. "Jay won't be here for another 30 minutes."

And Hellboy did, tossed Myers another bottle from the six pack.

In silence they drank, and watched as the horizon turned from black to deep blue, the first trace of light washing off the shadows of the night.

* * *

 **It feels like all I'm capable of writing, is suicidal thoughts. Can't blame me, though - as they say, you should write about stuff you know. Sorry... I promise, there are more cheerful stuff to come.**

 **Anyways, this chapter is all thanks to Anicaios. Thanks for your constant support! It means the world to me, to know you're reading this and that there's someone out there who cares about this fic.**


	73. Part IV: Yellow House

**Part IV: Streamline**

 **Chapter: Yellow house**

* * *

The yellow house looked deserted.

The furniture on the porch was covered in dust, a chair had fallen over. A coffee mug that had been left on the table had fallen to the floor and was now in pieces. The flowers Margot had carefully planted on the spring had all died, they were dry, withered and brown without her care.

No one had been here since Myers had left six months ago, not even the twins.

Sean and Amy had been living with Margot's parents in Hamburg for most of the spring and summer, and then moved back to Boston for their studies. When visiting Newark, they had stayed in BPRD, with friends, or at the green house with Amanda, Andu and Jacob. Myers had asked Amy a few times if she'd been back home, but she had declined to go there alone. She said, it was too much for her - being an empath. "The memories still live there. I must let them fade before I can go back, and same goes for Sean."

But Myers wasn't an empath. He was just a regular guy, with no superhuman abilities. A guy who was now standing on the porch of the house he had lived for 20 years of his life, and feeling every memory in his veins, in his spine, in his gut, as if he relived them all in a heartbeat.

Silently he took the key from his pocket, and opened the door.

"You sure about this?" a voice asked from behind.

Myers turned around, to face Alice Monaghan. The wind made her dark hair fly around her face, and her eyes were dark and serious.

"Yeah." he nodded. "I have to try, at least. If it's not gonna work here, then I don't know…"

He didn't finish that sentence.

He had asked Alice to channel Margot for him again, but Alice had simply told him that Margot hadn't made another appearance since the time in her apartment a week ago, when she had warned Myers about the Goddess. To contact her, she needed something solid. Something of hers, Alice had said, and that had lead Myers to think about the yellow house.

Maybe it was time to go home.

"I'm not liking this a bit." said Kat, crossing her arms over her chest. "This is a stupid plan and Margot would kick your ass for this."

"Well, I didn't ask you to join us, did I?" stated Myers.

"As if you gave me any choice, you suicidal dick head." Kat snapped. "I'm not gonna let you out of my sight as long as you're being so dumb about it."

Myers didn't reply anything to that, just gave out a sigh.

Hellboy still hadn't returned his gun, and Kat had gone mental after hearing what had happened at the top of the pyramid. That's what friends do, apparently. They give you shit about being in pieces. And what worse, Kat had forced Myers to see the shrink again. He hadn't even known Dr. Sassoon still practiced the profession, but there she was, and Myers had spent two hours talking to her about his death wish this past week. A thing he really didn't feel he was even remotely ready to do.

But Dr. Sassoon had told him one thing that had left him thinking. It was, that if he wanted to go on with his life (which he really didn't want to), he needed a closure. A letter, perhaps, where he would tell Margot how he felt and what he needed.

After that session Myers had picked up the phone and called Alice Monaghan.

If it was a closure he needed, there was better way to do it, than just writing a letter.

"You coming or not?" he asked, and stepped inside.

"Sure." said Alice.

"Reluctantly." said Kat.

But both women followed him in, nevertheless.

* * *

Ten minutes later they were sitting around the round kitchen table.

Myers had gathered some of Margot's things - her hairbrush, her favorite coffee mug and such. The curtains were closed, a couple of candles were lit, and between them, in the middle of the table, stood a mirror.

Alice had insisted for the urn holding Margot's ashes to be at the table as well, though it wasn't really an urn. It was just a cardboard box, a plain and simple one that could have hold anything. Nothing about its appearance revealed the fact, that it held all that was left of a whole person - but Myers knew. He remembered the night he had gone to see Margot at the morgue. Her closed eyes, the bloody holes in her neck. The red of her curls against the unnatural paleness of her cheeks. It was all gone now, all smoke and ashes and memories. He would never feel that skin on his own again, never those curls in his fingers. All that was left, was in that box, and he felt sick just watching it, like his guts were tied on a knot and sliced to pieces.

He turned his eyes to Alice, meeting her gaze over the mirror.

"Ready?" he asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." she replied. "You?"

"No." he admitted. "But let's do this anyways. Is she… is she here?"

"Oh yes, and I didn't even have to call." Alice said, and placed her other hand on the urn, other on the edge of the mirror. "See for yourself."

"Margot-"

It was just a flickering, see-through image in the mirror - but _it was her_ , and she looked just like she had when he had first seen her at the airport in Brussels, her red hair a huge mane of curls around her freckled face, her eyes a deep ocean of green shadows. She looked young and old at the same time, her skin soft and pale and ethereal, and seeing her took Myers' breath away.

"Thad." she whispered, and her voice came through Alice's lips. "Why did you ask me to come?"

"I… I had to see you. I needed to see you. Margot, I-"

"You did as I told you to do, sweetie. You turned on your phone and you saved Maggie. It is done. You don't need me anymore."

Her words were a wrecking ball that hit his gut.

"How can you say that? I need you, I need you like you're the air I breathe! I-"

"John, really." Margot sighed, moving Alice's lips, using her vocal chords. "This isn't right. You should've known better."

"Told you so." noted Kat, but Myers noticed she was pale too, and she leaned closer to the mirror, as if wanting to see Margot better, wanting to be closer to her.

"Not that it isn't good to see you—." Kat said to the image in the mirror. "But just that you know, _this_ wasn't my idea."

"I know, Kat. I miss you too. You are my sister, and I'll never see you again."

And Myers knew what that meant. Kat was immortal. If she didn't die of an accident or an injury, she wasn't going to die at all. There would be no afterlife for her, no seeing Margot again.

But what came to himself—

"Margot, I need to know—" he managed. "I need to know if I would be with you if... if I killed myself. Would you be there waiting for me? Would we be together, if I—"

"Again with that?!" Kat yelped, and smacked Myers at the back of his head. "Margot, tell him to stop that whining!"

"Kat this is none of your fucking business! This is _my life_ we're talking about—"

"Your life, John." Margot interrupted, her voice suddenly dark, piercing. "Your _life!_ Not your death."

"Just..." He breathed. "Just answer me. I'll do it today, if that gets me to you."

"I held your heart in my hands. I made it start when it had stopped. I saved your life, John. You died and I brought you back. Don't you remember?"

"How could I not?"

"Then you know you can not throw it away."

Myers bent his head, let the tears fall to his cheeks, to his jaw. His shoulders were shaking, he was trembling, fighting against losing it completely.

"You saved my life. It doesn't mean you get to decide how it ends."

There was a small silence, only a few seconds but it felt like it lasted for an eternity. Myers raised his gaze back to the mirror, back to Margot's face, to her eyes that were so dark now, ponds of sadness in her milky white face.

"You always say how I saved your life, but darling, it is the other way around." she finally replied. " _You_ saved _me_. You saved me in more ways than I ever deserved, and now it is time for you to save me one last time."

"How? How can I save you?"

"You have to let me go."

"No. Not that. Ask me anything else, anything, but not that—"

"John, please. I don't want to become one of those souls who are trapped in between forever. You cannot want that for me either. I know you love me, and because of that, you have to live and you have to let me go."

He was silent for a long while, unable to answer, swallowing the tears that tasted like blood, steel and heartbreak.

"I didn't know I was keeping you stuck." he finally said, his voice thick and hoarse. "I am sorry."

"I don't want you to be sorry. I don't want your apologies. I want you to live, really live. I want you to eat and drink and love and laugh and raise our children and fall in love again and—"

A sound, half sob, half laugh left Myers throat.

"I can never fall in love again. Don't ask that of me."

"Babe." Margot smiled. "Don't forget that the dead always know important stuff better than you do."

"Oh, come on! How can I?" Was his broken response. "How could I? Love again? You took my heart when you left!"

"I don't know. But I need you to try. Loving is in your nature."

Another silence. Myers shook his head, wiped tears off his cheeks but they just kept on flowing. It was like they had a will of their own, and he could do nothing about it.

"But what if I don't want to live? What if all I want to do, is die?"

He saw the pain in Margot's flickering image, in her eyes that reflected unknown stars and galaxies. She was silent for a long while, long enough to make Myers think that she wouldn't answer at all. When she finally did, her voice was almost inaudible, nothing but a faint whisper that left Alice's lips.

"It's so easy to find something worth dying for. But John, do not die, do not die for me. I need you to _live_. It is the only thing I ask of you. Please, live for me."

He was shaking his head. What she was asking him to do, was impossible. He felt the crushing weight of her request on every part of his soul, and yet he knew he couldn't tell her no. He had never been able to deny anything from her.

"I don't know how. I am nothing anymore. I am barely a human. There is nothing left for me here, Margot, _nothing_ , because I am broken beyond repair."

"Thad, before I met you, I also thought that I was broken beyond repair. You proved me wrong."

Myers didn't reply anything to that. He felt like choking, like he was drowning and it was so hard to breath.

"Will I ever see you again?" he finally managed. "Please, Margot, please, tell me that… that this isn't the end."

"Oh John. There isn't such a thing as the end. It all goes around in circles. You will see."

Her image began to flicker like an old film, and Myers felt it in his gut that she was leaving. That this was the end, no matter what she said.

A dagger of pain, a burning blade, cut through him.

"No!" He growled. "I won't let you go, Margot please—"

"I love you." she said, with a smile that took his breath away. "And I love you too, Kat. Take care of John for me, will you?"

And then she was gone.

The mirror was empty, the room silent, and Myers' felt the tears falling to his neck, to his shirt collar and he couldn't breath.

"Well, that was some rough shit." Said Alice. "Damn, I hate it when they use my mouth."

* * *

 **Sooo, let's see if Myers finally stops that whining! :D This part IV is almost over. If you've managed to read this far, you're a superhero. And if you're a superhero, you can manage a review.**


	74. Part IV: Epilogue

**Part IV: Streamline**

 **Chapter: Epilogue**

* * *

On a cold and crisp January morning they laid Margot's ashes in the grave.

The only ones present were Myers, holding the cardboard box in his arms, Kat and Hellboy, Sean and Amy and Margot's parents.

The graveyard was small and simple, just rows of plain stones marking people's births and deaths, all in between diminished into the carvings on the stone. The grass under their feet was withered and dead, the sky high above them breathtakingly blue, without a cloud in sight. The sun was shining, but it was still cold enough to make Myers breath vaporize, not that he really noticed.

He had felt frozen for the past eight months anyways.

There was no ceremony. Margot had been born and raised catholic, but she hadn't practiced the religion in decades, so it didn't really feel fitting. Myers simply laid the box in the not so deep grave, the twins added a few flowers, and then it was done. In silence they watched as the dirt was shoveled back to hole in the ground, making it all so painfully final.

The wind blew right through Myers' body. He felt it in his bones, chilling him to the core.

He wanted nothing more than to be the one in that grave, the one in ashes, in that box under flowers and dirt and gravel.

But he wasn't. His heart was still beating, no matter how much it hurt. He was still breathing. It was now eight months since Margot's death, and Myers new he wasn't going to join her. Not yet. Not for a long time to come.

The grave was soon covered, now only the plain, grey stone and a piece of turned soil marking the spot where Myers had placed the small cardboard box.

He wondered, how was it possible to bury his own heart, and still feel it beating in his chest? How was it possible to feel dead and so painfully alive at the same time? The wind blowing through him had dried his eyes, frozen his soul, but goddamn it, he was still alive, and so were all he held dear - all except for Margot.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, turned to look. Kat's eyes were deep and dark and serious, and her grip on his shoulder sent warmth through his shivering form.

"Let's go." she said. "It's done."

"You go ahead." Myers replied. "I'll meet you back at the house."

Kat gave him a dubious look.

"You sure that's a good idea?"

"Kat, really. You don't have to worry about me all the time. It's fine. I just… I just need a moment."

A short silence, and then she gave a sharp nod.

"Sure. I'll see you soon, kid."

It never ceased to feel weird, that a woman who still looked like she was in her twenties, called him kid - but that's how it had always been between them. And Myers was grateful. He knew he was blessed to have friends like Kat - friends who had walked through fire with him.

"Dad. You mind if I stay too?"

Talking about being blessed. Myers turned to face his son, who stood by the grave, holding Amy's hand.

"You don't have to ask. Of course you can stay."

"It's just… I wanted to talk to you."

For the first time in eight months Sean was looking him in the eye.

"Amy, will you go with Kat and the rest?" Myers asked. "To see that everything's ready at home."

"Sure, Dad."

She tipotoed to give a hug to his brother, who was at least a head taller than she was, and wiped a few tears from his cheek. It seems that they had all been crying, all except for Myers. He had cried enough, these past eight months. Now the wind had frozen his core and he felt strangely numb. As if it wasn't really him, who was standing here by the grave of his wife. As if he was watching a movie, or a memory of life lived long ago.

This day - the funeral, the memorial service, all of it - they were not for him. He had already had his closure two months ago, at the seance around his kitchen table. This day, it was for the rest of them.

Myers watched as they all walked away from him, all but Sean.

Kat and Red were holding hands, Dr Heinemann supporting Martha who was crying. It hurt to see their pain, a shadow of the one he carried within his own soul. He knew their sorrow was on his conscious, no matter what they said, no matter how many times everyone told him this wasn't his fault.

But that was just one more thing Myers would have to learn to live with.

When they were finally alone, Myers turned his gaze to Sean.

The wind was in Sean's hair, blowing it around his pale face, those red, unruly curls. He looked so young, younger than his 22 years, his limbs long and slender, his black jeans and the jacket just a bit baggy on him. And suddenly these past decades disappeared and Myers was back at the years the twins had been small. There he was in front of him, that boy, who Myers had taught to ride a bike, who had laughed and screamed out of joy when he'd finally learnt to do it without help. The boy who had begged for Myers to read the same damn story a dozen times, every night, until Myers had been ready to burn that book. The boy who had climbed on a tree on their back yard, after his sister, and fallen down breaking his arm. The boy, who had taken Myers' hand when walking to school, the first day of the first grade, all scared and nervous, and Myers had been so proud of him that it had been hard not to cry. There, in front of him, was the boy who had suffered the pain of losing his mother, and his father hadn't been there for him.

The last thought still felt like a wrecking ball in Myers' heart.

"Sean, you are right to be angry with me. I know this is my fault, and that I can never make it right—"

"For once, would you just shut up, Dad?"

Myers made a small sound, half a laugh.

"Sure. Was there something you wanted to say, Sean?"

"That I am still mad at you. Fucking mad. You've been a lousy father. But I don't want us to fight anymore."

Myers bent his head. The wind in his hair was cold, it moved in the dead grass on his feet.

"I don't want us to fight either. You and Amy are all I have."

"I know."

"And I am sorry."

"Yeah, I know that too."

They were both silent for a long while, but for the first time in eight months it was a good silence between them. Or if not good, at least something they could live with.

"I know I haven't been there for you. Not like I should have." Myers finally said. "And yeah, I've been a lousy father for these past eight months. You're right about that. But I promise-"

"You don't need to promise a thing. I get it. I wanted to leave too. Would have, if it wasn't for Amy."

"I didn't leave just because I needed to get away. I left to find the Goddess and to kill her. To avenge your mother's death. You know that, right?"

"It didn't work out though, did it?" Sean asked. "It would have turned out just the same had you stayed here."

"Not necessarily. I did need Alice Monaghan and Daimio to help with the job, and I don't know if I had-"

"The _job_." Sean said, as if it was a dirty word, and to him it probably was. "Still can't believe you call it 'a job', just like it was any other case."

Myers turned his gaze to the tomb stone. _Margérie Duval Myers_ , it said. _August 26th 1979 - April 15th 2027. A mother, wife, and friend._ With aching clarity Myers remembered the first time he had seen her at the Brussels Airport, hair hair flying around her face, wearing her gloves and jeans and a T-shirt, so very excited about the gig they were about to do.

"For her, it was always about the job." he finally said. "That's the way we both were, I guess. And I am sorry, I know it's been hard on you."

Myers met Sean's gaze, his piercing, green eyes on his pale face.

"And I guess me and Amy are different. Does that bother you?"

"Not in the slightest. I never wanted either one of you to end up agents. God knows there are enough of those in the Myers family as it is."

"Hah, yeah." Sean made a small laugh. "I guess so."

"You know that I'm proud of you?" Myers asked. "Of everything you do, and you are. Of the way you take care of your sister. I've always been proud of you, Sean."

"We take care of each other." Sean shrugged. "It's just the way it is."

"Just like when you were kids."

"Yeah. I guess that's not gonna change."

Myers stuffed his hands in his pockets, turned his eyes back at the headstone, the simple poem that was carved under Margot's name.

 _Because I have loved life, I shall have no sorrow to die._

 _I have sent up my gladness on wings, to be lost in the blue of the sky._

To the blue of the sky he let his sorrow fly, with all the heaviness of his heart. For a single moment world was cool and clear, the air crisp to breath.

"I won't leave again." he said, turning back to Sean. "I can promise that much."

"Good." Sean replied. "I don't want you to."

Those simple words were all that Myers needed to hear. That he was still needed. That there was still something to live for.

 _It's easy to find something to die for._ Margot had said, and yeah that was true. It was a lot harder to find reasons to live - but just looking at Sean, his serious face, the traces of tears on his cheeks, the nose that was reddened by the chilly east wind - Myers knew.

He would fight like Hell, every day, to survive. To be the dad his kids needed for him to be.

"Come on, son. Let's go." he said. "We have a party to catch."

* * *

And a party it was indeed, just as Margot had wanted.

There was loud music, and there was tequila and no one was wearing typical funeral clothes, but all bright colors, dresses and leis around their necks. Yes, it might have been a party where everyone burst in tears once in a while, but still they all tried their very best to have fun.

Someone had brought a huge, inflatable flamingo (Myers blamed Brexia) which looked ridiculous in the middle of the living room. There were balloons and piñatas, a huge cold cases of beer, there was champagne on the fridge, there was pizza and pie and cheesecake - and a real chocolate fountain on the kitchen table (something Kat had insisted on).

Myers really didn't feel like partying, but what the Hell. What Margot had wanted, Margot had got - It had always been so, and who was Myers to deny her last wish? So he did his best, drinking so much beer he couldn't feel his face, staying out of everyone's way not to be swept too deep into a conversation that could have triggered him to cry.

But man, there were a lot of people to avoid.

All the BPRD staff was there, including Abe and princess Nuala (whom he'd married a couple of years back), Clay and Brexia and so many others. Kat and HB, of course - drinking beer until Kat was crying and laughing and telling rude jokes about Margot, of the times they had both been young and single. That was something Myers both wanted to hear, and didn't and found himself wandering away from Kat. He noticed Jack in the corner, passionately making out with Jay - apparently they were back together, again. Myers didn't even want to know how that thing would work out, but still he was happy for them. Sue-Ellen had flown down, all the way from Boston, bless her heart - without Ronald, who had died of cancer three years earlier.

"I never wanted for you to go through this too." she said to Myers, pulling him into a hug, that made Myers feel like he was a kid again.

Amanda, Andu and Jacob were in the party as well, of course, and Myers noticed Maggie (now Goddess-free for two months), who had stolen a couple of beers and was smuggling them to the back yard with Jacob - but he was not about to do a thing about that. Sean and Amy and Eru were already sitting on the back porch, and Myers trusted they were adult enough to look after Maggie - or at least after Jake.

Margot's parents had left early - claiming they were too old for this kind of thing, even if they appreciated the trouble Myers had gone through organising the party. Andu had graciously teleported them back to Hamburg after they had both hugged Myers, their eyes still full of tears and sorrow - and a promise that Myers and the kids would soon visit them.

And Myers wanted to do that. He really did. The thought of entering the house in Hamburg, the kitchen where he'd kissed Margot at the Christmas Eve so many years ago, didn't make him want to die anymore. He knew there would be memories, but there were memories everywhere. Memories of their life together, that had all went so painfully fast. It felt like it had been only yesterday, that he had first laid his eyes on her, his hands on her skin, let her invade his heart - and now - not more than a heartbeat later, he was an old man - salt and pepper in his once dark hair, more salt every year, and all that had went between him and Margot was now like a film of images, that rushed through his mind fast forward.

Watching his friends and family, the people who had made him who he was today, Myers felt a strange kind of ache in his soul.

He wondered, if this was the way of all life. That you lived and you loved, and made friends and made mistakes, and then you died and when it was all over, it felt like it had all happened in a blink of an eye.

But his 'blink of an eye' wasn't over yet.

He brought the bottle to his lips, and drank. The taste of 'Belgian Blonde' was fresh and sour on his lips, it tasted of summers and Europe and Margot's kisses, and life, and he welcomed it all, even if it still hurt like Hell.

His life was not over.

* * *

 **Okay, I struggled a bit with this chapter. Okay, I struggled a lot.**

 **After all, writing Margot's funeral felt a bit weird. Margot is me, as Myers is me, they both have parts of my personality, as I guess is the way with all writing. And I will miss writing about their love.**

 **But hey, I do have a part V planned. I'm not going to write it if no one wants to read it, though... So if you wish to know what happens to Myers next, let me know. Otherwise - maybe this is it?**

 **Thanks for reading - I do appreciate it so much!**


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